Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday highlighted what his administration calls a major milestone in California’s long-delayed high-speed rail project, saying the state is nearing the start of track-laying for the first 119 miles of the system.
State officials say preparatory work is complete and that track between Bakersfield and Madera — the first 119 miles of track of the railway –could begin being laid as early as September, marking a transition from infrastructure construction to the building of the rail line itself.
“This is the phase that’s the proof point,” Newsom said at an event in Kern County. “You can’t believe what you can’t see? Well, you’re about to see a whole lot.”
The announcement comes months after the completion of a railhead facility designed to transport materials and supplies to construction sites. Work on the railhead began in January 2025 and was finished in October of that year, officials said.
Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, said crews are preparing to launch track-laying operations from the Central Valley.
“We’ll be starting launching track lanes,” Choudri said. “That starts from here.”
High-speed rail board member Henry Perea said the project is moving into the next phase, with materials arriving on site and contractors being selected to install the track.
“We have the infrastructure ready to go,” Perea said. “We’re in the process of hiring the contractor who’s actually going to lay the track. We’ve ordered all the materials, and those are now arriving at the site.”
Perea acknowledged delays in the project, pointing to the complexity of acquiring land and clearing right-of-way along the route.
“There’s no question there have been delays,” he said.
We asked why it may take an additional seven months, despite everything being ready.
Perea pointed to the scale of the project, noting that from hiring the contractor to mobilizing the crew and equipment, it could take quite some time.
Officials estimate that the first 119-mile segment — expected to become California’s first operational high-speed rail line — could be completed by 2032. The full 171-mile stretch between Bakersfield and Merced is currently projected to be finished by 2045.
The latest progress announcement comes amid renewed criticism of the project’s costs and timeline. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Republican from Rocklin, said the state should redirect funding to local transportation needs instead of continuing to invest in high-speed rail.
“We’re supposed to be excited about that?” Kiley said. “It is well past time to stop throwing good money after bad and to reallocate these funds where they’re needed.”
Kiley and other critics argue the project has exceeded initial cost estimates by tens of billions of dollars and has taken far longer than originally planned. Estimates have ranged from roughly $88 billion to $128 billion above early projections, according to critics.
As part of a federal spending package signed into law Tuesday, a provision proposed by Kiley makes California’s high-speed rail project ineligible for future federal grants, according to his office. In addition, about $928 million previously allocated by Congress to the project is being clawed back.
State officials say they anticipated potential federal funding cuts and have shifted their strategy toward state and private financing. The Legislature has committed at least $1 billion annually to the project through 2045 under the Legislature’s renewed cap and invest program, which is funded by major polluters.
Officials say private investors — including international firms — are exploring potential bids.
“With the state of California making a billion-dollar investment through 2045, we’re good for five, six, seven more years,” Perea said.
Officials say the project’s long-term future will depend on continued state funding, private investment and the pace of construction in the Central Valley.
Newsom also boasted the project continues to boost the economy. Officials noted nearly 17,000 jobs have been created in the Central Valley alone. They project that number to be 80-85,000 for the entire railway.
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