(The Center Square) – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed California’s $135 billion high-speed rail project for soaring far over budget with no end in sight.
So far, $15.7 billion has been invested in the project, with $2.7 billion spent by the federal government. Duffy said he is directing the Federal Railroad Administration to investigate whether the Trump administration should keep the Biden administration’s promise to give an additional $4 billion.
Estimates have put the project’s ultimate price tag as high as $135 billion. State and federal Republican lawmakers, who joined Duffy at a Thursday news conference at the Union Station, a historic Los Angeles train depot, cited a lower $128 billion estimate they felt was still too high for the project. They called for ending the project and spending the money on other needs such as water and roads.
The Trump administration will look at how previous federal money was spent, Duffy said. “We can’t just say we’re going to give money and then not hold states accountable to how they spend that money.”
Duffy expressed doubt that the rail will be completed if more money is spent.
“There is no timeline for when you’re going to have a high-speed rail that goes from Los Angeles to San Francisco,” the former Wisconsin congressman and ex-Fox Business host said.
The project started in 2008 but missed its scheduled completion date of 2020. The first tracks, for a 171-mile stretch from Merced to Bakersfield, were laid down in January in Kern County.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority said its goal is to operate the Merced-Bakersfield segment by the end of 2030, but added that may be delayed to sometime between 2030 and 2033. The cost of that segment alone is estimated at $32 billion to $35 billion.
As they spoke, the secretary and lawmakers were interrupted by dozens of protesters outside the Union Station. They loudly chanted “Build the rail! Build the rail!” and booed during most of the news conference. The speakers raised their voices enough to be heard over the chants.
Duffy said he understood why the protesters were angry, but suggested they chant instead outside Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mansion for his administration’s failure to build the project faster and within a budget.
“They have every right to be angry, not at us, but at Newsom, the Democrats and the (state) High-Speed Rail Authority,” Duffy said, noting $16 billion has been spent during 17 years.
The project’s completion date is unknown, state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, told reporters. She added estimated costs have soared from “an initial $34 billion to a mind-boggling $128 billion.”
“To make matters worse, taxpayers are shouldering the entire burden, contrary to promises that 20% of the funding would come from private sources,” she said.
Republican U.S. Rep. Vince Fong noted the project goes through his district, which includes Bakersfield.
“I have seen this failure firsthand,” Fong said. “I thank the secretary for shining light on the gross mismanagement of California’s high-speed rail nightmare.”
Money could be better spent on California’s water infrastructure, better forestry management, safer rural roads and improvements to America’s supply chain, Fong said.
U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, agreed.
“You can build $24 billion lakes, which are large lakes, on the amount we’re throwing away on this thing, as well as repair our highways and do other infrastructure projects that are so necessary,” LaMalfa said.
Lawmakers said the state doesn’t have much to show for the money spent so far, which includes the $11 billion in expenditures from 2006 to 2023.
“Is $11 billion of your dollars worth 1,600 square feet of concrete and rebar?” asked U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, who has introduced a bill to stop federal funding for the project. He called it “the worst public infrastructure failure in U.S. history.”
After the news conference, the California High-Speed Rail Authority issued a statement saying that it welcomed an investigation.
Ian Choudri, the authority’s CEO, said “every dollar is accounted for.”
Choudri noted that more than 50 major structures have been completed for the project, with 171 miles under active construction and 14,700 jobs created.
“This investment has already generated $22 billion in economic impact, primarily benefiting the Central Valley,” Choudri said.
U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, a Democrat whose district includes the San Joaquin Valley, defended the project and said President Donald Trump and other opponents have exaggerated costs. He noted most of the money has come from the state.
Costa also blamed opponents and their legal battles during the last 10 years for being the primary cause of the project’s delays and increased costs.
