FRESNO, CA, TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 - Construction continues on the San Joaquin River Viaduct section of the California High Speed Rail Project. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Bakersfield, California – California’s high-speed rail project, the most ambitious infrastructure undertaking of its kind in the United States, reached a new phase this week with the announcement that 53 of 93 planned structures for its first segment have been completed. Officials with the California High-Speed Rail Authority celebrated the construction benchmarks as a major leap forward, even as the project continues to weather political opposition and funding uncertainties.
In a June 12 news release, Ian Choudri, CEO of the Authority, described the progress as “momentous achievements,” citing the combined work of more than 1,700 laborers who have been on-site daily, primarily in Fresno, Kings, and Tulare Counties. The completed structures include the San Joaquin River Viaduct in Fresno and the Hanford Viaduct in Kings County—major feats of engineering that will carry bullet trains along the Central Valley corridor from Merced to Bakersfield.
Originally greenlit by California voters in 2008, the high-speed rail system is envisioned to eventually connect Los Angeles and San Francisco through the Central Valley, reshaping access to historically underserved regions. But the project has faced repeated delays and rising costs, prompting sharp criticism from former President Donald Trump, who called the rail line a “waste” and a “green disaster.” His administration previously threatened to withdraw federal funding.
In a 14-page letter to the Federal Railroad Administration released alongside this week’s update, Choudri rejected claims that the project has made “minimal progress” or is suffering from a $7 billion funding shortfall. Instead, he pointed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to extend the Cap-and-Invest program—projected to generate at least $1 billion annually through 2045—as a crucial long-term funding source.
Beyond political hurdles, the Authority also navigated legal ones. A recent settlement with the city of Millbrae resolved a dispute over station development, guaranteeing local land-use oversight and ensuring integration with existing transit systems like BART, Caltrain, and SamTrans. Millbrae Mayor Anders Fung hailed the agreement as a “historic milestone,” tying public transit to broader economic and housing goals for the region.
To date, more than 15,300 construction jobs have been created by the high-speed rail project, the majority of which have gone to Central Valley residents. Another 30 structures are currently under construction across Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.
“The Authority’s work has already reshaped the Central Valley,” Choudri said. “We have built many of the viaducts, overpasses, and underpasses on which the first 119 miles of high-speed rail track will run.”
