NEWS RELEASE: High-Speed Rail Authority to Receive Record $3.1 Billion From Biden Administration

December 5, 2023

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In the single strongest show of federal support to date, the US Department of Transportation has awarded the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) nearly $3.1 billion in grant funding for continued progress on the country’s first electrified 220-mph high-speed rail system.

“California is delivering on the first 220-mph, electric high-speed rail project in the nation,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “This show of support from the Biden-Harris Administration is a vote of confidence in today’s vision and comes at a critical turning point, providing the project new momentum.”

This is the largest grant the Authority has received and was made possible by President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This influx of funding will build on the project’s ongoing success which has created over 12,000 good paying union jobs to the region.

“I am proud to champion this historic federal investment for California High-Speed Rail,” said US Senator Alex Padilla. “California has never been afraid to take on big and bold challenges — including the development of the nation’s first true high-speed rail network. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and President Biden’s leadership, California has a partner in this effort to power our economy, reduce emissions, and connect our communities through high-speed rail.”

“California takes great pride in our ambitious status as the leading edge of high-speed rail in America.  With this new $3.07 billion in federal funding, we take an important leap closer to making high-speed rail a reality in California,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.  “An electrified high-speed rail network will dramatically improve the quality of life in the Central Valley and up and down California.  These bullet trains will make travel quicker and easier, bring housing closer, create new jobs and economic opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach, secure cleaner air for our children and help save our planet.  Thank you to President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for their recognition of the importance of high-speed rail to California and to our Nation.”

“For decades, I’ve worked to make California’s high-speed rail system a reality. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I helped pass; we now have significant investment to make major progress. I worked to secure this $3.1 billion federal grant to ensure continued economic growth and investments in California’s San Joaquin Valley. I want to thank President Biden, Governor Newsom, and our partners. We still have much more work to be done,” said Congressman Costa.

“This historic federal investment sends a clear message that America is serious about high-speed rail, starting right here in California. With a federal partnership that’s stronger than ever, we are well on our way to delivering fast, clean and reliable high-speed rail service to connect our state’s population centers,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration and our Congressional leadership for this visionary investment in the future of transportation.”

“This record federal grant is a welcomed investment in the future of this transformative project. The Authority is humbled by the expression of confidence and commitment from our federal partner,” said High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Brian Kelly. “We look forward to advancing the project, putting more Californians to work and buying new, electrified high-speed trains, all made possible by this grant.”

The $3.073 billion will advance work in California’s Central Valley including:

• Fund six electric trains for testing and use
• Fund design and construction of trainset facilities
• Fund design and construction of the Fresno station
• Fund final design and right-of-way acquisition for the Merced and the Bakersfield extensions
• Fund construction in the Central Valley

This most recent, and largest award received from the Biden-Harris Administration was made possible through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP-National). Over the last 12 months, the Authority has aggressively pursued and been successful in receiving federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Nearly $202 million from the federal government was awarded in September to advance critical safety, grade separation work on the project, and in August, the Authority was awarded another $20 million for the historic Fresno Depot and station site. With this award, the Authority has received more than $3.3 billion in funding from this historic program.

In the last 12 months, the Authority has showed continued progress statewide. In 2023, ten structures were completed along the first 119-miles of construction and environmental progress has continued with 422 of the 500-mile project now environmentally cleared. In the spring, the Authority crossed a major labor milestone, marking more than 10,000 labor jobs created, and this fall, entered into a major agreement with 13 rail labor unions for operation of the system. Procurements have advanced for trainsets procurement in August and design of track and systems in November.

With the southernmost 22-mile stretch of active construction currently on the verge of completion, the Authority continues advanced design work to extend the 119 miles under construction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield. The high-speed rail project has created more than 12,000 good-paying jobs since the start of construction, 70% of those going to Central Valley residents.

For more information on construction, visit: https://buildhsr.com/

The following link contains recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.