The High Speed Rail Authority received a key approval from the Federal Railroad Administration to begin construction in California's Central Valley, specifically the 60-mile Merced to Fresno stretch. The remaining hurdles are several lawsuits.
Sep 21, 2012 The Sacramento Bee
Without a vote to spare, the CA state senate voted to authorize $5.8 billion to begin construction in the Central Valley of the nation's first true HSR system. The assembly passed the bill earlier in the week.
Jul 7, 2012 Capitol Alert (Sacramento Bee blog)
The Authority approved the $68 billion plan. Now the hard work begins in convincing the state legislature to sign off in order to capture the $3.5 billion allocated by the feds and begin construction from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley
Apr 16, 2012 San Jose Mercury News
Knowing that a $100 billion project stood a poor chance of passing muster in a budget-conscious state legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown shaved off $30 billion by using a "blended rail" strategy in the Bay Area and South Coast, i.e. sharing tracks.
Apr 2, 2012 The Sacramento Bee - Transportation
An agreement has been reached to electrify Caltrain from San Jose to San Francisco, using early investment High-Speed Rail funds, but will Bay Area HSR opponents take notice?
Mar 30, 2012 Palo Alto Online News
The non-partisan Legislative Analyst pulled no punches. To proceed with the project without more funding and environmental clearances would violate the authorizing ballot proposition and endanger funding for all other state needs, including education
Dec 1, 2011 San Jose Mercury News
The new $98 billion price tag and 2033 completion date in the revised HSR Authority's business plan applies to the first phase, meaning that the extensions to San Diego and Sacramento will take even longer, leaving some San Diegan leaders seething.
Nov 7, 2011 AP via The Sacramento Bee
With its revised business plan released Nov. 1 showing a dramatic increase in costs and time to build the 800 mile system, the Authority adopted its funding plan to a largely skeptical audience, many from the Central Valley where construction begins.
Nov 5, 2011 Los Angeles Times
According to preliminary reports on the new business plan, the California High Speed Rail Authority's new estimate for the 800-mile system will be $98.5 billion - initially pegged at $43 billion, and will take an additional 13 years to build.
Nov 2, 2011 Los Angeles Times
That's the verdict from a report released April 22 by officials of Caltrain, the nearly 150-year-old commuter line connecting San Francisco, San Jose, and Peninsula suburbs. In turn, the key to electrification is cooperation with the CA HSR Authority
Apr 26, 2010 San Jose Mercury News
