SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The 2016 business draft by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which changes the southern segment from Merced to the San Fernando Valley to a northern-oriented route, has some California legislators up in arms, the Merced Sun-Star reports.
The reason for the change of plan is that the segment between Bakersfield and the Los Angeles basin is far more geologically complex, and will require a series of tunnels to be bored that will inevitably lead to delays and extra expense, SFist reports. The idea is build the cheaper northern section first, with a new injection of federal funds to electrify the Caltrain tracks between San Jose and San Francisco, and allow more time to identify funding for the more expensive southern segment.
