Panel Approves First Segment Of California's High Speed Rail
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Officials on Thursday approved a $4.3 billion proposal to build the first segment of a high-speed rail line that would run through the agricultural heart of California.
The seven members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority voted unanimously to approve staff engineers' recommendation after hearing dozens of public comments from people who questioned the viability of the 65-mile route in California's Central Valley.
Critics were upset the route, which would go from a small town in the farmlands of Borden through Fresno to Corcoran, another small town, will not reach major population centers of Merced or Bakersfield.
Engineers explained the route was the best choice given the limited funding and a federal requirement that the segment be useable whether or not the entire 800-mile system is built.
They said the route will allow the track to connect to an existing freight rail line used by Amtrak.
The authority is under a tight deadline to pick a route and enter a funding agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration by the end of the year.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
