CA High Speed Rail Chief Resigns - Is End Near For HSR Authority?

In addition to the resignation of Roelof van Ark, CEO of the High-Speed Rail Authority, Chairman Tom Umberg has stepped down, though he will remain on the board. Gov. Brown has indicated he will merge the Authority with Caltrans.

1 minute read

January 15, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


"The exodus of the authority's top officials came as the prospects for the $99 billion project's survival appear dim, though Brown has remained steadfast in his support of a project that Big Labor considers critical. The shake-up coincided with Brown's plan to move the rail authority into a newly created transportation agency that includes Caltrans."

"Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in a letter to Brown, said that merging the rail authority with Caltrans would be key to revamping the business plan. It would, she said, "permit a rapid reassessment of the route, decisions regarding the stages of construction, and substantial progress on acquiring right of way" and would signal to Congress that the project remains viable."

"State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said Thursday that he's in favor of tweaking the plan to show that the state is committed to building near urban population centers. "We need to look to see whether there might be other ways to get this done, and not jeopardize the federal money," Steinberg told reporters."

Thanks to Mike Keenly

Friday, January 13, 2012 in San Jose Mercury News

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

Get top-rated, practical training

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.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2 - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

May 2 - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

May 2 - Streetsblog USA

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO