[Text/Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyi] In February of this year, the new U.S. administration began studying whether to revoke approximately $4 billion in federal funds allocated to California's high-speed rail project. On May 6, local time, U.S. President Trump told reporters at a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Carney at the White House that his administration would not pay for the high-speed rail plan between Los Angeles and San Francisco, citing cost overruns. He said, "This administration will not pay."

According to reports on the same day by Reuters, a spokesperson for California Governor Newsom of the Democratic Party responded by saying, "Fifty main structural components have already been built. Abandoning the project at this stage of laying tracks would be reckless—it would not only waste billions of dollars already invested but also allow those who kill jobs to hand over this generation's infrastructure advantage to China."

The California High-Speed Rail Authority also stated that the project was making substantial progress. Full civil engineering construction has been underway along the 119-mile (approximately 191-kilometer) route in Central Valley, creating more than 15,000 construction jobs. Design and preliminary construction work is also progressing on the extension section totaling 171 miles (approximately 275 kilometers) between Merced and Bakersfield.

Due to sharply rising costs, Trump has taken a harsh stance against this high-speed rail project, which was approved for an initial funding of $10 billion in 2008. Previously, the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Biden administration had allocated $4 billion to the project. Initially, the entire project was estimated to cost around $40 billion, but it has now risen from $89 billion to as much as $128 billion.

U.S. President Trump NPR

The U.S. government has long been planning a high-speed rail project connecting two major cities in California, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with a top design speed of 350 kilometers per hour (220 miles per hour), and plans for full operation by 2033.

This is the first phase of the "first high-speed rail system" in the United States, with a budget exceeding $100 billion. Initial funding was approved in 2008, and the first phase of construction began in 2015. However, it seems that America's "high-speed rail plan" has been fraught with difficulties.

In 2008, under then-Governor Schwarzenegger, the high-speed rail project was launched, and Californian voters approved using $10 billion in bond proceeds as construction funds. In 2010, the Obama administration provided $3.5 billion to California, though the funding was not disbursed all at once.

However, in February 2019, Governor Newsom of California stated that due to rising costs, delays, and management concerns, California would scale back the high-speed rail project but still retain a section of over 110 miles (approximately 190 kilometers).

California High-Speed Rail Project Map. Note: The red box indicates the major cities originally planned to be connected; the green circle shows the short section that current Governor Newsom has reduced the project to. Los Angeles Times

Upon hearing this news, former President Trump described the project as a "green disaster" and a "world-class white elephant," and his administration announced in May of the same year that it would officially cancel the $929 million in federal grants allocated to California's high-speed rail project and consider recovering the $2.5 billion already disbursed. Since then, Trump and Newsom have continued to argue over this high-speed rail project.

Until 2021, after Democrat President Biden took office, the $929 million grant for California's high-speed rail project was restored.

However, with Trump returning to power, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) stated in February this year that, under the direction of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a review of California's high-speed rail project was underway to determine the use of construction funds for the Central Valley section between Merced and Bakersfield.

The U.S. Department of Transportation stated that the original plan for this high-speed rail project between San Francisco and Los Angeles was to be completed by 2020, with a budget of $33 billion. However, the cost of just the Merced to Bakersfield section exceeded the total initial cost. The department also cited a report stating that there is at least a $6.5 billion funding gap for just the Merced to Bakersfield section.

In fact, since the approval of the high-speed rail project funding plan in 2008, more than a decade has passed. Despite groundbreaking ceremonies being held, California's high-speed rail construction has continued to lag behind due to the budget. Quartz, a financial website, reported on January 18, 2018, expressing concern about California's high-speed rail as China's high-speed rail network was flourishing.

The report stated that California plans to complete the first phase of this high-speed rail project by 2029. However, on the other side of the world in China, efforts to expand its high-speed rail network are relentless. As of July 31, 2024, China's railway operating mileage has approached 160,000 kilometers, with high-speed rail exceeding 45,000 kilometers, firmly ranking first in the world. Yet, California's high-speed rail remains preoccupied with calculating funds.

After three years and at a cost of $1 billion, the California High-Speed Rail Authority built a 1600-foot-long (approximately 488 meters) elevated bridge over the Fresno River, standing 25 feet (approximately 7.6 meters) above ground level. Since its completion in 2018, it has stood alone over the often dry Fresno River, waiting in vain for the "first high-speed rail system" in the United States to reach both ends...

The lone-standing elevated bridge over the Fresno River, waiting in vain for the "first high-speed rail system" in the United States to reach both ends. X platform image

According to reports last May by the New York Post and Sky News UK, aerial photos of this elevated bridge sparked widespread ridicule in the U.S. Billy Markus, founder of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, sarcastically called it "the greatest achievement in human history," bluntly stating, "California truly excels." Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, joined in the criticism by forwarding related content with a crying emoji.

Witnessing the seemingly endless completion of California's high-speed rail project, American citizens and politicians criticized the incompetence and corruption of the U.S. government. Kevin Kiley, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California, posted on the X platform, "The California High-Speed Rail Project is the largest useless project in American history. This level of neglect serves as a warning to America. Besides, it's really embarrassing."

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501492519247692326/

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