California Applies for $4.7 Billion in High-Speed Rail Stimulus Funds

Image: CAHSRA

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that the state has applied for $4.7 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus money for the California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) to start the nation's most ambitious high speed rail project.

In a statement, the governor said, "Recovery Act funding for high-speed rail will go further and create more jobs in California than in any other state in the nation – because we have pledged to match it dollar-for-dollar." Using US DOT job creation numbers, the governor's office estimates that the full $4.7 billion would create 130,000 jobs throughout the state.  The dollar-for-dollar local match referred to in the statement would come from the $9.95 billion Proposition 1A bond voters approved in last year's election. Local, state, and national political representatives are rallying throughout the state today to show support for the ARRA request, with a regional event at San Jose's Diridon station.

According to a CAHSRA fact sheet, the $4.7 billion would be spent accordingly:

• $980 million for San Francisco to San Jose, including station improvements, grade separations, electrification and safety, and state-of-the-art "positive train control" in an upgraded, shared alignment with Caltrain.
• $466 million for Merced to Fresno, including right-of-way acquisition, grade-separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures and track.
• $2.18 billion for Los Angeles to Anaheim, including high-speed train facilities at Los Angeles Union Station, Norwalk Station and the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center; right-of-way acquisition, grade-separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures, tunneling, and track work.
• $819.5 million for Fresno to Bakersfield, including right-of-way acquisition, grade-separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures, track relocation and new track.
• $276.5 million for preliminary engineering and environmental work in all system segments including Los Angeles to San Diego via the Inland Empire, Los Angeles to Palmdale and Bakersfield, Sacramento to Merced and the Altamont Rail Corridor.