Passengers could begin riding the high-speed trains by as early as 2030, officials estimated.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined local elected leaders from Kern County and officials with the state’s High-Speed Rail Authority on Jan. 6 for a ceremonial pounding of the first symbolic spikes in the long-awaited track for high-speed trains.
“You want to be big, you’ve got to be big in big things,” Newsom said at the event. “This is the biggest economy in the United States of America … and it’s about damn time we have a high-speed rail system in the great state of California.”
He shrugged off criticisms from political opponents and those opposed to the project.
“To the cynics that are filled with cynicism that stand on the sidelines and don’t engage, we’re here making this work,” Newsom said. “Finally, we’re at the point where we’re going to start laying down this track in the next couple years.”
The group also celebrated the completion of construction projects meant to prepare land for track-laying on the southernmost part of the line—which will initially run 171 miles between Merced and Bakersfield and ultimately span 463 miles from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, in addition to connecting with another project planned between Southern California and Las Vegas.
“Today we’re recognizing the system’s progress and looking ahead as we advance important partnerships and track work that moves us closer to operations while putting Californians to work,” Ian Choudri, CEO of the rail authority, said in a statement.
“We’re committed to working collaboratively and ultimately developing a modern, interstate high-speed rail network that will not only boost ridership in the Southwest part of the country but bring to the forefront the possibility of delivering high-speed rail benefits sooner.”
Environmental reviews are complete, construction is set to begin for stations and the track, and more than 14,500 jobs have been created since the start of the project, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
“This is about to get very, very real,” Newsom said.
Passengers could begin riding the high-speed trains by as early as 2030, officials estimated.
By Travis Gillmore
