Battle Over California Bullet Train Continues To Slow It Down

From CBS San Francisco:

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF/AP) — Ongoing negotiations between the California legislature and transportation officials continues to delay the state’s high-speed rail project, with the most recent hurdle being a debate over whether the train should be high speed when it launches.

That’s a conversation Democrats in the state Assembly want to have amid negotiations over whether to release about $4 billion in bond money for the project. The California High-Speed Rail Authority said it needs that money to continue construction beyond next summer. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom included it in his state budget, but negotiations between his administration and the Legislature have stalled. They’re hoping to reach an agreement when the Legislature returns for session in January.

It’s the latest setback for the project, originally expected to cost $33 billion and be completed last year. Today the vision of shuttling passengers between Los Angeles and San Francisco in less than three hours is a distant dream. The first leg of rideable track, connecting two cities in the Central Valley, won’t start until at least 2029, and the project’s costs have ballooned to $98 billion.

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