Challenges and Controversies in California's High-Speed Rail

California’s long-delayed high speed rail project is finally ready to start laying tracks in the Central Valley next year. But the Trump administration has called it a “rail to nowhere,” pointing to construction delays and a budget that’s ballooned by $100 billion. The federal government has clawed back $4 million in grant funding – a move Governor Newsom says is illegal and that California plans to fight in court. With federal money tied up in the lawsuit, state lawmakers are pooling funds and pushing public-private partnerships to keep construction on track. We’ll get the latest on this slow-moving project from two transportation journalists. And we want to hear from you: What questions do you have about the future of California’s high speed rail?

Guests:

Colleen Shalby, staff writer covering transportation and mobility, The Los Angeles Times

Ralph Vartabedian, independent journalist who has written about California's high-speed rail for over a decade

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