The California High-Speed Rail Authority has applied for $396 million in federal funding to advance a 30-mile segment of the project in the Central Valley, according to a recent announcement. This move comes after the Trump administration withdrew $4 billion in federal money for the project in 2026.
The grant application was submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration's initiative to modernize U.S. rail infrastructure. If successful, the federal funds would support construction of the rail line between Madera and Merced. The project also seeks a state match of $99 million from California's cap-and-trade program, bringing the total cost for this segment to $495 million, with federal funds covering nearly 80%.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority stated that the proposed extension will improve safety, reliability, and travel times, while better connecting communities in the Central Valley.
This request for federal funding marks a significant development given the previous administration's strong opposition to the project. Then-President Donald Trump characterized California's high-speed rail as a "boondoggle" and a "disastrously overpriced, 'HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE,'" in a statement on Truth Social upon announcing the withdrawal of funds.
The state's ambitious high-speed rail project, which aims to connect the Bay Area and Los Angeles, has faced significant challenges since breaking ground in 2015. Initial cost projections have escalated, with the authority now estimating the project's cost at $126.3 billion, a revised figure from original estimates that exceeded $200 billion. Republicans, including former President Trump, have frequently cited the project as an example of government waste.
California has financed more than 80% of the $15 billion spent on the project to date. Rail authority CEO Ian Choudri has previously expressed a desire for federal partnership, inviting federal officials to collaborate on the project and emphasizing its importance as an American infrastructure endeavor. He noted that national governments in other countries often support similar rail systems.