California High-Speed Rail Authority receives cease-and-desist letter over 2026 business plan
MERCED, Calif. —
The California High-Speed Rail Authority might have violated state law with a proposed relocation for part of the project, according to a cease-and-desist letter sent to the authority.
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A letter from California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. to HSRA CEO Ian Choudri states that HSRA does not have the authority to reroute part of the tracks without prior approval from the California Legislature. Initially, the Merced-to-Madera segment was supposed to have a stop in downtown Merced, but the latest business plan would have that segment run from south of Mission Avenue, outside of Merced city limits.
Read the 2026 business plan here.
“This description of the Merced to Madera segment contradicts state law, which explicitly specifies that the Merced terminus is to be located in downtown Merced,” CRLA’s letter reads.
CRLA goes on to say that HSRA did not receive approval from the Legislature before proposing to reroute the tracks and acted outside its authority by doing so. It argues that HSRA is subject to legal challenge.
“Here, the High-Speed Rail Authority has demonstrated an on-going pattern of disregarding statutory language on the mandated high-speed rail route,” CRLA’s letter states. “The High Speed Rail Authority has shown a consistent disregard for California state law and the role of the California legislature by unilaterally deciding to re-route the high speed rail system, shift station locations, and downgrade the entire Central Valley segment to single-track.”
Some lawmakers have expressed concerns that making that segment single-track may not actually make the train high-speed.
This is the latest challenge for the state’s project, which is taking longer than initially projected, as well as costing significantly more. According to HSRA’s business plan, the Bakersfield-to-Merced line could cost $36 billion and may not be completed until 2033.
Helen Kerstein with the California Legislative Analyst’s Office and the project’s Inspector General Benjamin Belnap warned lawmakers earlier this year that the draft plan lacks transparency around those major changes.
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