Fifteen years ago, California voters approved the high-speed rail system, but more than a decade later this project still continues. With issues such as rising costs and delays in scheduled completion dates, debates arise amongst the public about whether the high-speed rail will be successful or even worth the cost.
Originally, the estimated cost was 33 billion dollars, with completion scheduled for 2020; now the cost has risen to over 100 billion dollars and is not to be completed until around 2030.
Republican Kevin Kiley also commented on the amount of money being spent on transportation. Referencing the Artemis II mission, which recently sent astronauts around the moon, the rail project seems to surpass the expenses despite the lack of results.
“We’re now told that with ‘the right optimization,’ CA High-Speed Rail will cost $126 billion. So if everything suddenly goes perfectly, we’ll spend 30 times what it cost to send Artemis II to the moon,” Kiley said.
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The high-speed rail system was first approved in 2008, connecting from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim, going up to 200 miles per hour. After several years of construction, the rail has not even reached either of the promised destinations. While current construction is in the Central Valley, where structures have been built, no tracks have been laid yet.
State Legislator Vince Fong expresses frustration with delays in construction and rising costs for the rail system in his interview with 60 minutes.
“We’re now in 2026. There are no trains. There’s no track laid. It was a complete bait and switch,” Fong said. “I think that the California high-speed rail nightmare is the quintessential example of government waste and mismanagement.”
The designated route outlined in the provided documents includes destinations such as San Francisco, Millbrae, San Jose, Gilroy, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Bakersfield, Palmdale, Burbank, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Those who support this project hope it will decrease traffic congestion on the roads, along with reducing pollution while traveling in cars or planes, some being skeptical and do not believe that the high-speed rail will be fully accomplished.
While officials are unsure about the cost, they are also concerned about California’s geography and the difficulty of building the high-speed rail. Constructing a high-speed rail that can withstand earthquake damage requires careful engineering and design. The construction becomes more complicated as the train passes through mountain terrain, agricultural land, and regions that can be affected by earthquakes.
Another issue is safety. A construction employee, Jerry Ouellete, 48, suffered permanent paralysis due to an accident that occurred on a job site in Madera County back in March of 2018. There are many questions about the working conditions on the construction sites.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer points out that this project has its setbacks but also has a great impact on Fresno’s future.
“I believe that we will have the first high-speed rail in the nation in downtown Fresno, although the project has been incredibly slow and a lot of mistakes along the way by the state,” Dyer said. “That’s something that’s going to transform our city in ways people don’t fully realize yet.”
There have been many leadership changes throughout the years, which have affected the progress of the high-speed rail. Since the project started, there have been multiple leaders, including: Roelof Van Ark, 2010-2012; Jeff Morales, 2012-2017; Brian Kelly, 2018-2024; Ian Choudri, 2024-present. More recently, CEO Ian Choudri has returned after a voluntary leave of absence earlier this year due to his arrest for domestic battery of a minor. The situation is adding more attention to an already delayed and controversial project.
State officials understand that once construction in the Central Valley is completed, it will be the first step toward building a state-wide system. Some believe that once the rail is fully completed, it will change transportation in California. Still, costs continue to rise, and the completion date moves back; some still wonder if the high-speed rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles will ever be completed, and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
For more from The Feather, visit Central Valley Honor Flight #34 departs with Fresno Christian student media team or Artemis II ventures farther than anyone in space history
