BREAKING GROUND FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL DELAYED

We previously posted about the California High Speed Rail Authority’s (“CHSRA”) intention to break ground this July, but with summer almost gone, rail officials are finally admitting it will be a “few months” before construction begins.

The recent delay has been attributed to, among other things, a ruling last month from Sacramento County Judge Michael Kenny.  In a challenge to CHSRA’s funding plan, Judge Kenny ruled that the rail authority violated the law when it failed to identify the funding for the high-speed rail’s initial operating segment, a 300-mile stretch from Merced to Los Angeles or San Francisco to Bakersfield.   While Judge Kenny stopped short of invalidating the project, a November 8, 2013 court date has been set to determine whether any punishment should be doled out.

The state is still negotiating deals with property owners in the Central Valley and has purchased approximately 50 of the 375 properties it needs for the first route.  A new, official date for construction to begin has yet to determined.

We will provide further updates as they become available.