Story at a glance
- The embattled California bullet train was approved for a massive injection in federal funding.
- It was initially projected to be running by 2020, but suffered major delays.
- Funding was interrupted during the Trump administration.
The Biden administration will restore funding to California’s developing bullet train, state Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) confirmed on Thursday night.
ABC News writes that the finalized negotiations for funding the high-speed rail, which stalled during the Trump administration, were approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The $929 million in federal funding will be allocated to the transportation initiative.
During a press conference, Newsom said that the nearly $1 billion funding “will continue to spur job creation, advance the project and move the state one step closer to getting trains running in California as soon as possible.”
The project was approved back in 2008 and $10 billion in bond money was allocated to building the high speed rail that would connect the state’s two major urban hubs: San Francisco and Los Angeles.
It was originally supposed to be running by 2020, but pandemic and funding delays halted its progress.
Officials now project 2029 as its start date, to the disgruntlement of state residents who have been awaiting its finalization for more than a decade.
Biden’s decision to fund the rail speaks to his broader commitments to overhauling U.S. infrastructure to make it more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The train is expected to minimize the environmental impact and help alleviate California’s traffic problem.
The rail picked up an award for its sustainable design in December.
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