Overview
- California High‑Speed Rail Authority board member Anthony Williams told CBS's 60 Minutes the price tag now exceeds $125–$126 billion.
- Former oversight chair Lou Thompson warned lawmakers the plan has reached a "dead end" and is not viable in its current form.
- Thompson said the Authority cannot finish the 171‑mile Merced–Bakersfield starter line by the end of 2032 with the money on hand.
- Federal support has fallen, with $4 billion rescinded in 2025 and another $929 million cut in early 2026, deepening the funding gap.
- The debate has sharpened, with Republican critics citing no trains or track and Governor Gavin Newsom arguing the work lays a foundation for cleaner travel and jobs.