President Barack Obama announced Thursday that California would receive $2.3 billion out of $8 billion from federal stimulus funds for high speed rail. These funds will be matched by state funds of up to $10 billion from Proposition 1A. The California High-Speed Rail Authority which has responsibility for moving the project forward wants to start building the line from Anaheim to San Francisco by 2012 and have it completed by 2020. Rail advocates are praising the decision to go forward but are also cautioning that much work as well as oversight needs to be done before actual construction can begin.
The estimated cost of the initial 250 mile segment is $43 billion. The state can now raise an additonal $4.5 billion by matching federal funds but another $30 to 35 billion are needed. Supporters say that funds can be raised from investors and additional federal funds as the project picks up speed. California was awarded the highest amount from among the 13 competing projects around the country.
Several challenges to the system remain including where the line will actually run. In the Bay area, the alignment from the central valley to San Jose remains controversial--whether it should go over Pacheco Pass over Altamont Pass. Closer to Los Angeles, one proposal includes building a new flyover at Union Station even though there are already existing underutilized tracks and platform. If new run-through tracks could be built for trains heading south, using existing facilities would save millions. Currently, trains entering or leaving Union Station to or from the south essentially enter the station via a long indirect curving track. Run-through tracks would enable trains to enter the station without having to change directions saving 10 minutes or more. The southern alignment from Bakersfield remains controversial. Current plans have the train running over the Tehachapi's from Bakersfield to Palmdale then to Los Angeles which is 90 miles longer than a proposed alignment over Tejon pass. More on alignment in a follow up story.
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