Trump Administration to Review California High-Speed Rail Project
A top Trump Administration official announced on Thursday that federal funding for California’s troubled high-speed rail project will be reviewed to determine whether the federal government will continue to provide money for construction.
What to Know
- California Republican lawmakers in Sacramento sent a letter to President Trump late last week in support of an investigation into the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project.
- A report by the project’s inspector general released Feb. 3 on the first phase of what was planned as a statewide rail system indicated it is unlikely that the project can meet its goal of starting passenger service between Merced and Bakersfield by 2033.
- Work is continuing on a 119-mile stretch linking the Central Valley communities of Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield. The target completion window is 2030 to 2033.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the federal funding review in front of a boisterous crowd at a news conference inside downtown LA’s historic Union Station.
“If California wants to continue to invest, that’s fine,” Duffy said. “But we, the Trump administration, are going to take a look at whether this project is worthy of investment.”
Duffy announced plans to direct the Federal Railroad Administration to initiate a compliance review of funding for the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
“We are off track,” Duffy said. “The review will help determine whether billions of dollars in taxpayer money should be committed to high-speed rail.”
Several speakers were met with shouts and jeers from a crowd gathered at Union Station in support of the project.
Duffy’s visit comes about a week after comments from President Trump about the project, indicating an investigation would be opened into its management following a new report from the project’s inspector general indicating it will likely will not meet a key timeline goal.
“It is the worst-managed project I think I’ve ever seen,” Trump said. “And, I’ve seen some of the worst. Billions and billions, hundreds of millions of dollars over budget.
“We’re going to start an investigation into that. I’ve built for a living, and I’ve built on time and budget. It’s impossible that something could cost that much.”
Details about the investigation and a timeline were not available.
California Republican Lawmakers Support Investigation
California Republican lawmakers in Sacramento then sent a letter to President Trump late last week in support of an investigation into the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project.
The letter requests an examination of the viability of the project and to hold the High Speed Rail Authority accountable for its “mismanagement and broken promises.”
Republican State Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo was among the lawmakers who signed the letter calling for an investigation and answers about what happens moving forward.
“The High-Speed Rail Authority has spent a lot of taxpayer dollars on their fancy models and their very aggressive public relations campaign,” Macedo said. “I’m really hoping we can get through to the voters and Donald Trump can help me on this. The truth is after 17 years and $13.7 billion, no tracks have been laid.”
Specifically, the letter questions why, according to the inspector general report, a risk analysis was not completed for the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment to determine the project’s feasibility.
Conclusion
The Trump Administration’s decision to review the California high-speed rail project has sparked controversy, with some supporting the move and others criticizing it as an attack on the project.
FAQs
* When was the project approved? California voters approved a bond measure for the rail project in 2008.
* What is the target completion window for the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment? The target completion window is 2030 to 2033.
* How much has the project cost so far? The project has cost $13.7 billion so far.
* What is the purpose of the compliance review? The review will help determine whether billions of dollars in taxpayer money should be committed to high-speed rail.
