SACRAMENTO, California – The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors today approved 52.4-mile advance design contracts that will extend the project to Merced and Bakersfield. Contracts bring the project closer to building the final Central Valley packages that will complete the 171-mile electrified section of the high-speed rail and eventually merge with the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
“Taken together, these contracts support the Authority’s efforts to keep high-speed trains operating in the heart of California by the end of the decade,” said Office President Tom Richards. “These contracts show that we are able to build on lessons learned from previous contracts, increase project readiness and prepare for further progress in this transformative project.”
Authorities awarded a $ 41 million Merced to Madeira expansion contract to Stantec Consulting Services Inc., which covers approximately 33.9 miles with 40 structures. A contract for the $ 44.9 million expansion of Fresno to Bakersfield (a locally generated alternative) has been awarded to HNTB and covers approximately 18.5 miles between the towns of Shafter and Bakersfield in Co. Kern with 31 facilities. The contracts are expected to run for two years and the two companies will work with the Authority to finalize the project setup and accelerate the design work to improve costs and reduce travel time and road mapping and media relocation. These critical steps will bring the sections closer to construction, targeting electrified high-speed trains between Merced and Bakersfield by the end of the decade.
Last week, the US Department of Transportation awarded the Authority a $ 25 million federal grant to implement a project in downtown Merced. The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant will provide more than half of the cost of the Madeira to Merced project contract.
The Board is expected to take action on Thursday on the San Francisco-to-San Jose section environmental document, potentially completing environmental work for more than 420 miles as part of the 500-mile project.
The California high-speed rail project is currently under construction along 119 miles in the Central California Valley with 35 active jobs. So far, more than 8,000 jobs have been created since the beginning of construction. For more information on construction, visit www.buildhsr.com.
The link below contains the latest videos, animations, photos, press center resources and the latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8 External link. All these files are available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
How much will the California bullet train cost?
The 2022 business plan estimates that the full 500km high-speed rail system between Los Angeles and San Francisco will cost as much as $ 105 billion, up from $ 100 billion two years ago. In 2008, when voters approved the railroad bond, authorities estimated the system would cost $ 33 billion.
Will California get the missile train? In a landmark for the country’s most expensive public infrastructure project, the Californian ball train finally appears to have the money and legal approval to complete phase one.
How much does it cost to build bullet train in California?
The $ 105 billion missile train project – on which $ 10.3 billion has been spent to date – would be the largest single investment in the history of the state, the most ambitious public works endeavor in the country, and now for many experts a symbol of how not to build the railway line, and all this determines the stake of the current impasse.
Is California still funding the bullet train?
High-speed rail has no funding to build a missile train outside of the $ 23.8 billion Central Valley section.
How much does it cost to build the high-speed rail in California?
According to a 2022 business plan report, state transportation officials added an additional $ 5 billion to the budget for the California high-speed rail project, bringing the total projected cost to $ 105 billion. This $ 5 billion increase is due to the train moving away from Cesar E.
Will California High-Speed Rail ever be completed?
Phase 1 was to be approximately 520 miles (840 km) long and was scheduled to end in 2029. Phase 1 was to connect downtown San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Anaheim by high-speed rail through the Central Valley.
Has California High-Speed Rail construction started?
FRESNO, California. Since its inception, the California high-speed rail project has created more than 8,000 jobs, most of which go directly to residents of the Central Valley. Currently, there are 119 miles under construction in the Central Valley with over 30 construction sites in operation.
What is happening with CA high-speed rail?
A state-issued fact sheet in 2015 promised that “by 2029, the system will run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles Basin in less than three hours at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.” The current plan is that the 171-mile connection between Merced and Bakersfield will run until the end …
Will the California high-speed rail ever be completed? Recently, on its website, the Authority announced (from November 2021) that it plans to “start testing the electrified high-speed system in 2025, certify trains by 2027 and run electrified high-speed trains by the end of the decade.”
Has California High-Speed Rail construction started?
FRESNO, California. Since its inception, the California high-speed rail project has created more than 8,000 jobs, most of which go directly to residents of the Central Valley. Currently, there are 119 miles under construction in the Central Valley with over 30 construction sites in operation.
Is California High-Speed Rail under construction?
| Californian high-speed railway | |
|---|---|
| Technical | |
| System length | c. 171 miles (275 km) (center leg) approx. 520 miles (840 km) (phase 1) c. 800 miles (1,300 km) (proposed including Phase 2) |
When did construction begin on California High-Speed Rail?
The passage of Proposal 1A in 2008, followed by the granting of federal stimulus funds in 2010, established the initial funding for the California high-speed rail system. The construction contracts began in 2013, and the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the first construction took place on January 6, 2015.
Will Amtrak ever have high-speed rail?
Since 2020, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has been working on the California High Speed Rail project, and construction is ongoing on the sections crossing the Central Valley. The Central Valley section is slated to open in 2029 and Phase I is slated to end in 2033.
Why isn’t Amtrak fast? The United States does not have such corridors. High-speed rail is an outdated technology as it requires expensive and dedicated infrastructure that will serve no purpose other than to carry passengers who would be able to travel more economically on a highway or by plane.
Will the US ever have high-speed trains?
Will the US ever get high-speed rail?
Southern California to Las Vegas: Virgin Trains USA subsidiary XpressWest Connects Metropolitan Los Angeles to Las Vegas (top speed 180mph and only 90 minutes drive, could be launched by the end of 2023) Dallas and Houston: in less than 90 minutes top speed of 200mph.
Why America Cannot have high-speed rail?
High-speed rail numbers can range from 20 to 80 million per mile. The main reason America lags behind the high-speed rail is primarily money. We don’t spend the money needed to build these systems, it’s really that simple. And this is largely a political issue.
Does Amtrak have high-speed trains?
The Acela Amtrak (150 mph, 240 km / h) is America’s only high-speed train. Acela trains will reach a top speed of 165 mph (265 km / h) when the new trains enter service and 186 mph (300 km / h) in the coming years.
Are Amtrak trains faster than cars?
Today, on the most popular routes, Amtrak, Northeast Corridor, train passengers can travel between cities such as DC and New York, and New York and Boston faster than a typical car route.
Why is Amtrak so slow?
There are two main reasons why Amtrak routes are so slow – freight trains and old infrastructure. Train dispatchers routinely place freight over commercial passengers, resulting in more than 700,000 minutes of delays per year.
Why America Cannot have high-speed rail?
High-speed rail numbers can range from 20 to 80 million per mile. The main reason America lags behind the high-speed rail is primarily money. We don’t spend the money needed to build these systems, it’s really that simple. And this is largely a political issue.
Why can’t the US have high-speed rail?
High-speed rail is an outdated technology as it requires expensive and dedicated infrastructure that will serve no purpose other than to carry passengers who would be able to travel more economically on a highway or by plane.
Is high-speed rail a good idea?
According to the International Railway Association (UIC), high-speed rail is eight times more energy-efficient than airplanes and four times more efficient than cars. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
What is the disadvantage of high-speed trains? The main disadvantage of high-speed trains, apart from their slow speeds compared to air travel, is that they require a huge amount of infrastructure that must be built and maintained to extremely precise standards.
Is high-speed rail an efficient way to travel?
The HSR is powered by electricity. Compared to driving, flying or riding on conventional railroads, it is the fastest way to travel between two points several hundred miles apart and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 percent.
What are at least two advantages of using high-speed trains?
Building a high-speed rail system can accelerate the growth and development of new cities and tourism. It has the potential to turn American cities into global tourist destinations, but more immediately it will provide a more efficient travel option for local residents.
Is high-speed rail sustainable?
Nevertheless, HSR has features that make it an efficient and effective solution for mitigating the environmental and climate impacts of transport and making it an essential part of sustainable mobility systems.
Is high-speed rail good for the environment?
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that rail carries 8% of global passengers and 7% of freight, but is responsible for just 2% of transport energy consumption, and that high-speed services over long distances represent an environmentally friendly alternative to short-haul air travel by reducing emissions.
Why are high-speed rails good for the environment?
Compared with the high pollution and high energy consumption of ordinary rail and road transportation, high speed rail has clean energy and energy efficiency, and also has the advantages of punctuality, safety and comfort.
What is the impact of high-speed rail systems on the environment?
Research says high-speed trains provide environmental and social benefits. Missile trains fuel the real estate boom, improve quality of life, reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, and provide a “safety valve” for congested cities, especially in developing countries, according to a study by Chinese and US economists.