California’s High-Speed Rail Is the Foundation for a National Future

IAN CHOUDRI
CEO
California High-Speed Rail Authority

When I accepted the role of CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, I didn’t just see a chance to deliver a major infrastructure project—I saw a national responsibility.

California’s high-speed rail program is the first of its kind in the United States. If we succeed here, we can inspire a new era of rail-based mobility across the country. But if we fail, we risk setting the entire movement back a generation. That’s the weight of what we’re doing—and it’s why we must get it right.

Right now, we’re building in California’s Central Valley, where more than 30 active construction sites are transforming communities and creating nearly 15,400 good-paying jobs—70 percent of which have gone to local workers. One of our largest segments is substantially complete, and we’re preparing to lay track. In Kern County, we’re constructing the railhead that will launch train testing. We’re moving from planning to progress.

This isn’t a vision for the distant future. It’s happening now.

We’re starting with a 171-mile initial operating segment from Merced to Bakersfield—what I call our “starter line.” But our sights are set higher. Within 20 years, our goal is to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles in under three hours. That’s not speculation, it’s a clear plan backed by environmental clearance from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles Basin and supported by growing momentum.

Every major infrastructure project faces skepticism, especially in the U.S. California’s high-speed rail effort has been no exception. Delays, litigation, and funding gaps have tested public trust. But since stepping in, I’ve focused on course correction: realigning our construction sequence, accelerating right-of-way acquisition, tackling utility relocations earlier, and bringing in seasoned leadership. We’re building smarter and faster, with the urgency this moment demands.

Why urgency? Because California—and the nation—can’t afford to wait. Our highways are overburdened. Our skies are congested. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California. We need alternatives that are clean, fast, and equitable. High-speed rail isn’t just a convenience, it’s a necessity.

The Central Valley, historically overlooked by major infrastructure investment, is now the launchpad for America’s clean transportation future. Our project is revitalizing cities like Merced, where a downtown station will spark new housing, walkable neighborhoods, and access to opportunity. With the station just blocks from UC Merced’s expanded campus, students will have fast, car-free access to internships and jobs across the state. That’s transformative—and long overdue.

This project is about more than mobility. It’s about equity, climate action, and economic opportunity. For the first time, families in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Merced will have fast, affordable connections to major job centers—without giving up the affordability and quality of life that define these communities.

The health benefits are real too. We’re eliminating dangerous at-grade crossings, reducing traffic deaths, and cutting harmful air pollution. And as we expand, the environmental upside only grows.

We’re also laying the groundwork for private-sector engagement. In January, we brought together more than 400 industry professionals to explore investment opportunities across the system—from trainsets and stations to fiber, real estate, and logistics. We’re preparing to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest to formalize those partnerships and unlock innovation and capital.

Support from Sacramento and Washington is also critical. Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a guaranteed $1 billion annually from Cap-and-Trade proceeds through 2045. That steady investment gives us the predictability we need to move faster, reduce costs, and attract private capital—addressing the number one risk identified by our Office of the Inspector General: long-term funding uncertainty.

As someone who’s worked on high-speed rail systems in Europe—in France and Spain—I know what’s possible. I’ve seen how transformative these systems are, how they anchor regional economies and connect lives across geographies. What we’re building in California has that same potential, but on an American scale.

California is proving what’s possible. We’re demonstrating that you can build clean, modern, high-speed rail in the United States. We’re showing that you can overcome legacy challenges with the right strategy and leadership. And we’re proving that investing in rail is investing in people.

To succeed, we need stable, bipartisan support. We need clear eyes and strong partnerships. And we need the will to see this through—not just for California, but for every state looking to follow.

Because if high-speed rail can succeed here, it can succeed anywhere. And that’s how we change the future of transportation in America.