California gets $194-million high-speed grant
Written by jrood
California is getting a $194-million federal grant to fund planning of a 520-mile high-speed rail line, local media report.
The U.S. Transportation
Department said that the stimulus money will help pay for preliminary
engineering and environmental analyses of segments connecting San Francisco to
Anaheim.
The California High-Speed
Rail Authority says the grant will be matched dollar for dollar with state
funds.
Authority Chairman Curt
Pringle says the grant demonstrates the federal government’s continued
confidence in the project, which has been criticized over its route selection
and business plan.
Earlier this year, the
federal government awarded a $2.25 billion grant to help cover a portion of the
$43-billion system. The authority is counting on additional funding from $10
billion in voter-approved bond financing and additional federal and private
investments.
