The California High-Speed Rail Authority said in a press release that construction on their new high-speed line between Los Angeles and San Francisco will officially commence following a ceremonial groundbreaking in the city of Fresno.
The $68 billion transportation network expects to be able to transport passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in under three hours upon completion, so in order to test the project as it gets started, the first 29-mile segment will be built in the Central Valley.
While officials are still figuring out how to secure the rest of the funding for the high-speed rail system, experts are confident the network will be completed by 2028.
Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin tells the Times, “High-speed rail brings attention and focus back to city centers. It is going to be easier for people to live in the middle of the state and do business elsewhere.”
Those in support of the high-speed rail are hoping those opposed will come around once they witness how the potential benefits of the project outweigh its astronomical construction costs.
