California voters first approved a bond measure in 2008 to help finance what was then estimated to be a $33 billion project connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles with high-speed rail service.
CHSRA
2 min to read
California voters first approved a bond measure in 2008 to help finance what was then estimated to be a $33 billion project connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles with high-speed rail service.
CHSRA
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, chaired by U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), will hold a field hearing in Sacramento on Thursday, August 9, to review the status and recent changes to the California high-speed rail project, including the most recent modifications to the project’s evolving business plan, which was released in June.
The Subcommittee will receive testimony from the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group, State Senator Andy Vidak, Assemblymember Adam Gray, and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
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The multi-billion dollar project is the largest in the federal High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). California voters first approved a bond measure in 2008 to help finance what was then estimated to be a $33 billion project connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles with high-speed rail service. However, the 2018 business plan now estimates Phase 1 of the project to cost between $77 billion and $98 billion: 20% higher than the last estimate included in the 2016 business plan. Furthermore, the project continues to experience schedule delays for environmental reviews and completion of planned segments.
The field hearing, entitled “Continued Oversight of the California High-Speed Rail Project,” is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. (Pacific Time).
Witnesses:
The Honorable Calvin L. Scovel III, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
Brian Kelly, CEO, California High-Speed Rail Authority.
Louis Thompson, Chairman, California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group.
The Honorable Andy Vidak, State Senator, California State Senate.
The Honorable Adam Gray, Assemblymember, California State Assembly.
Robbie Hunter, President, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
More information, including the witnesses’ written testimony, additional issue background information, and live webcast, will be posted here as it becomes available.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
