The California High Speed Rail Board of Directors unanimously approved a business plan earlier this week that envisions passenger service between Merced and Bakersfield by 2033.
The plan lays out a path for moving beyond the Central Valley with High-Speed Rail Chief of Staff Mark Tollefson saying a connection to the Bay Area could help put the project on a stronger financial footing.
"Our first opportunity for revenue generating service or revenue positive service would be from Bakersfield into San Francisco using a blended approach as we get to Gilroy connecting in with the Caltrain corridor. "
But board member Lynn Schenk questioned whether Southern California is being left behind.
"My frustration is still why we’re spending additional funds to go through Gilroy rather than to the south where we have the population, where we can have the economic development, where we can have the success that we’re looking for. "
Previous drafts of the business plan have also faced recent criticism from the project’s inspector general and the state’s nonpartisan budget watchdog over funding gaps and financial risks.
The updated plan estimates completing the Los Angeles to San Francisco system could cost between 126 and 231 billion dollars. Officials also acknowledge nearly 87 billion dollars would still need to be secured from public and private investment.