California Assembly Continues to Debate High-Speed Rail

With a train-friendly administration in Washington, supporters of the project hope that state leaders will make a stronger commitment to funding the full project.

2 minute read

March 21, 2021, 11:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


California High-Speed Rail Authority (CASHRA) CEO Brian Kelly faced questions from state Assemblymembers in a joint hearing on March 10 as state leaders continue to debate the plan for building a 400-mile system connecting Southern California and the Bay Area via the Central Valley. As Melanie Curry reports in Streetsblog Cal, Kelly presented "the current business plan, which focuses on completing a usable 171-mile segment of electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield," connecting some of California's fastest-growing cities.

With a more train-friendly administration in the White House, HSR supporters hope the project will benefit from federal funding that was withheld during the Trump administration. At the hearing, Louis Thompson, head of the High Speed Rail Peer Review Group, "urged the legislature to make a decision on whether it will commit to the project going forward," saying that the project "can never be managed without adequate and stable funding." In order to get the most out of the project, he said, the state has to show "ongoing commitment." Without a commitment to building the full system, warned Kelly, the state "will have spent $14 billion on a system that does not get you eighteen trips a day, that will be forced to share tracks with freight corridors, and will not bring an increase in ridership."

Since "the original bond funding was never meant to fully fund construction of a high-speed rail project from Los Angeles to San Francisco," writes Curry, it's time for the legislature to make concrete plans for securing the funding needed to build an effective HSR system.

Thursday, March 11, 2021 in Streetsblog California

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

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

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

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Sign in front of building for seior services center in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk

High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

5 seconds ago - WESH

Boston Red Line train with skyline in background.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap

The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

1 hour ago - Smart Cities Dive

View down center of street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan

Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.

2 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA