# State High-Speed Rail Faces Decades of Delay

> California's high-speed rail project, approved for environmental clearance, faces decades of delay and soaring costs.
- Title: State High-Speed Rail Faces Decades of Delay | Shortify
- Summary: California's high-speed rail project, approved for environmental clearance, faces decades of delay and soaring costs.
- Keywords: california high-speed rail, state high-speed rail authority, bakersfield to anaheim segment, union station, anaheim transit hub, tehachapi mountain range, san gabriel mountains, metrolink regional rail, high-speed rail construction, funding challenge, Los Angeles Business Journal
- Source: Los Angeles Business Journal — https://labusinessjournal.com/infrastructure/special-report-long-wait-for-state-high-speed-rail
- Author: Hannah Welk
- Published: 2026-11-09T08:01:11+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: california high-speed rail, state high-speed rail authority, bakersfield to anaheim segment, union station, anaheim transit hub, tehachapi mountain range, san gabriel mountains, metrolink regional rail, high-speed rail construction, funding challenge, business, local
## Environmental Clearance Approved
The California High-Speed Rail Authority approved environmental documents for the final 33-mile leg between Union Station and Anaheim.
## Project Cost Soars
The entire project's cost estimate ranges from $128 billion to $231 billion, up from $45 billion in 2008.
## Travel Time Extended
The train journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles now takes over four hours, compared to two hours forty minutes in 2008.
## Bakersfield to Anaheim Segment
The Bakersfield to Anaheim segment, including stations in Palmdale, Hollywood-Burbank Airport, and Union Station, is the last to be built.
## Tunneling Challenges
The segment requires 28 miles of tunneling through the Tehachapi and San Gabriel mountain ranges, including two tunnels of at least 12 miles each.
## Funding Shortfall
The authority has $39 billion in funding, but $4 billion was pulled by President Trump in 2026, leaving the project underfunded.
## Construction Timeline
Track laying for the Bakersfield to Merced segment could start by year-end, with the Bakersfield to Anaheim segment expected to open by 2040.
## Political Challenges
Political decisions in 2008 led to cost overruns, with the initial estimate of $33 billion now far below current projections.
## Travel Time Impact
The high-speed rail line would not be competitive with air travel, as flight durations between Los Angeles and San Francisco are under 90 minutes.
## Funding Strategy
The authority plans to use fare revenue from profitable segments to fund the Bakersfield to Anaheim segment construction.
## Recent Developments
The authority is exploring private funding for the Bakersfield to Anaheim segment in exchange for operating the trains on the route.
## Key takeaway

California's high-speed rail project, approved for environmental clearance, faces decades of delay and soaring costs.