Federal Government Cuts Additional Support from California Rail Projects

The US Government is cancelling any additional funding for California’s high-speed rail projects. Initially, in July, four billion dollars' worth of federal grants were originally awarded for the long-standing high-speed rail project on the West Coast. That grant was withdrawn, and it was reported that the government is continuing to reduce its support of the rail projects by proceeding to cancel another $175 million. Specifically, funding will be terminated for the Madera rail station, as well as for overcrossing, grade separation, and design work. After the first set of budget cuts, California filed a lawsuit claiming these cuts in funding were politically motivated and illegal. However, with constant back-and-forth, the USDOT has also threatened to reduce its safety budget.