DON THOMPSON
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO (AP) — The estimated cost to complete California's high-speed rail line rose another $1.3 billion, to $80.3 billion, while construction is on schedule to meet a 2022 deadline to have about 20% of the track laid, according to a new business plan released Wednesday.
The cost bump is less than in previous years, and is mainly because the plan pushes back the completion of a high-speed rail link between Silicon Valley and the Central Valley by 18 months, to late 2031.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority's latest business plan comes amid pressure from state lawmakers, some of whom want to peel off more of the money to help commuters in the state's population centers. The 168-page report attempts to counter those critics by emphasizing the $3
