Acquisitions Disputes for California High-Speed Rail Project Drag On

Delays in acquiring properties are costing the project significant amounts of time and money.

2 minute read

November 26, 2018, 11:00 AM PST

By Camille Fink


California Central Valley

I, Amadscientist / Wikimedia Commons

Ralph Vartabedian reports on the status of the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s acquisition of land in the Central Valley. “The slow progress in many cases has pushed back construction timetables for the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco system, caused delay claims by contractors and hardened the emotions of some property owners.”

The project is already 13 years behind schedule, and the budget overrun is at $44 billion. In the Central Valley alone, the initial cost estimate of $332 million to acquire properties has skyrocketed to $1.5 billion. “There are fights about farm wells and trellises. Debates about the value of nut trees apart from the land where they grow. And tears shed over the loss of land held by families for more than a century,” says Vartabedian.

The authority still needs to acquire 160 of 378 parcels in Kings County. The area has complex agricultural systems, and resistance from farmers has been intense. “When a track cuts a vineyard diagonally, for instance, the trellis structure and the grape vines must be either removed or restrung. That can curtail production for years and the state has to pay for it, farmers say,” reports Vartabedian.

Adding to the slow progress is the fact that one judge from Southern California is hearing the disputes, since all of the county’s superior court judges have recused themselves, and Caltrans lawyers representing the authority are scattered throughout the state.

“The rail authority has acknowledged that it made serious errors in the Central Valley, issuing construction contracts before land was in hand and underestimating the difficulty of the process. It has vowed to not repeat those errors. But fixing what is already broken has become a long process,” notes Vartabedian.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo walking down city street.

Cuomo Is the Candidate of Both NIMBYs and Developers. What Gives?

In the New York City mayoral race, odd bedfellows align to preserve the housing status quo.

June 23, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Large spinning swing ride at Chicago's Navy Pier.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip

Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

5 seconds ago - Streetsblog Chicago

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

1 hour ago - Governing

Large building under construnction in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia at sunset.

Charlottesville Temporarily Has No Zoning Code

A judge ordered the Virginia city to throw out its newly revised zoning code, leaving permitting for new development in legal limbo.

2 hours ago - Charlottesville Tomorrow