In a significant move during the early days of his second term, President Donald Trump is looking to halt federal funding for the California High-Speed Rail project, a long-controversial endeavor that has drawn criticism for its escalating costs and delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Thursday that $4 billion earmarked for the project, which aimed to connect Merced and Bakersfield, will undergo a thorough review. Duffy emphasized that taxpayers have been unfairly burdened by the financial mismanagement of the project, which has faced substantial overruns and setbacks.
"This scheme is over; it didn’t work, and it won’t get another dime," Duffy stated, reflecting Trump’s administration’s stance that if Californians desire a high-speed train, they must fund it themselves. The project, originally proposed as a means to combat climate change, has been plagued by a lack of necessity, especially given the efficiency of flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which take approximately 90 minutes.
The California High-Speed Rail initiative was initially approved by voters in 2008, who supported a bond measure intended to raise $33 billion for the project, with a completion target set for 2020. However, as of now, the estimated cost has ballooned to $105 billion, and the promised bullet train remains unbuilt. California Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo voiced concerns about the project’s viability, stating that asking voters to continue funding a project that may never be completed is unreasonable.
Critics have labeled the rail project as a "luxury" project, primarily benefiting politicians seeking to enhance their environmental credentials rather than addressing pressing infrastructure needs. The project’s scope has been criticized for being reduced to a line connecting less populated areas, leading some to dismiss it as a train from "nowhere to nowhere."
Amid this turmoil, Duffy did acknowledge that not all high-speed rail projects are under scrutiny, highlighting that Brightline West’s initiative to connect Rancho Cucamonga, California, to Las Vegas appears to be progressing well. This distinction suggests that the Trump administration is not entirely opposed to high-speed rail but is against projects that consume vast sums of taxpayer money without delivering results.
As the debate continues, the future of the California High-Speed Rail project remains uncertain, with many questioning whether it can overcome its troubled history and financial mismanagement.
