The Trump administration ratcheted up the pressure Monday in its campaign against California’s high-speed rail line, saying it would shift federal funds for the system to other rail projects around the country.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said $2.4 billion out of roughly $4 billion the federal government has provided for the system over the years would go to other passenger rail projects around the country, with an emphasis on improving safety at highway crossings and “family friendly” amenities.
A spokesperson for the California High-Speed Rail Authority said the move violates an agreement the two sides reached; but DOT said it plans to reprioritize more funding in the future.
“This is the first of many Trump Infrastructure Dividends whereby recompeted federal dollars will be redirected from wasteful boondoggles to real infrastructure projects that benefit the American people,” DOT said in a news release.
