High-speed rail: all the way to Bakersfield

Photo courtesy California High-Speed Rail

Officials at the Department of Transportation announced today that they would redirect more than $1 billion in high-speed rail funds from Wisconsin and Ohio to other states whose leadership still wants the trains – and $654 million of those dollars are coming to California. $616 million will go towards extending the first segment of the rail system all the way to Bakersfield, instead of terminating it in Corcoran as was originally planned. The rest of the money will go to Caltrans to improve existing rail transit. The feds are also asking California to match the $616 million with its own bond funds. Rail Authority spokeswoman Rachel Wall said that outlay will still have to be approved by the Authority board.

We'll have more on this as the situation develops.