House Republicans have started an investigation into California’s long-overdue high-speed rail project, questioning whether the state used overly optimistic projections when it applied for federal funds.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for documents and a staff briefing about the project, including forecasts of the number of people who would ride the train, according to a letter released by Chair James Comer (R-Ky.).
The rail system was originally slated to connect California’s two largest metro areas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, by 2030, at a cost of $33 billion.
The current cost is estimated as high as $128 billion, and the opening date could be as late as 2033. And that only includes a smaller section between Bakersfield and Merced in California’s Central Valley.
