No matter how much California’s High Speed Rail costs balloon, the federal government will continue to support the project. That’s according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. During a tour of the Sacramento’s mass transit hub at the Railyards on Thursday, LaHood was asked if the feds are in no matter what, or is there a price point at which the government would back off.
“We’re in. California has a good plan. Also, California has new leadership for High Speed Rail. The Governor has appointed new people to the board,” said LaHood.
The most recent cost estimate for the project more than doubled to $98 billion.
Republican lawmakers are pushing for a ballot measure to give voters a chance to cancel the project they approved in 2008.
Even supporters of High Speed Rail, like the Train Riders Association of California, said the first stage of the project should connect highly populated areas like the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or Sacramento. Currently the first stage would be in the Central Valley.
