MAJOR UPDATES

Procurements Update

In the last few months, two critical procurements have been nearly completed and many more are rapidly advancing.

In April, the Authority released the Notice of Proposed Award (NOPA) for the Track and Systems Construction Contract. The Authority has now entered negotiations with Kiewit, Stacy Witbeck, Herzog – A Joint Venture. This will include the installation of high-speed track, overhead contact system, train control systems, and related rail infrastructure necessary to support testing and operations. Key decisions, like owner-procured materials to save time and money, have been made to prepare for this. If successful, management will return to the Board of Directors during the June 1 meeting with a proposed contract for consideration. With the upcoming award of this contract, the Authority is rapidly advancing toward laying the first high-speed rail tracks later this year.

And, on May 11, the Authority issued a Notice of Proposed Award (NOPA) for the Co-Development Agreement to Momentum Alliance Partners to advance commercial, technical, and financial solutions for the next step of the program’s phased delivery. As the Authority’s CDP, Momentum Alliance Partners will evaluate and propose opportunities to leverage private-sector innovation, expertise, capital, and efficiency in design, construction, systems integration, finance, operations, and maintenance across one or more segments or elements of the program. With this early consortium soonin place, the Authority will begin an exciting new chapter of delivering high-speed rail service faster, smarter, and more economically.

With so many active procurements outstanding and more to come, the Authority has also posted a highly requested procurement schedule on our website so industry and stakeholders can more easily track current and upcoming procurements. This new schedule shows when solicitation has occurred or will occur, the status of each procurement, and the tentative award date.

Other recent advancements include:

• Release of the NOPA for the Fresno Station Early Works procurement.
• NOPA releases for multiple materials commodities, including Overhead Contact Systems poles, rail, concrete ties, and cable troughs.
• Release of the Request for Qualifications for Architectural and Engineering Services.
• Establishment of a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) process. A MATOC is a type of pool contract that allows the Authority to award multiple contractors an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract.

Additional procurement progress will be made later this year, including:

• More awards for high-speed rail materials procurements.
• Release of the Merced to Madera extension procurement.
• Release of the Clean Energy Program Co-Development Agreement.
• Release of the Locally Generated Alternative extension procurement.
• Release of the Program Delivery Partner procurement.
• Release of the Maintenance Facility/Operations Control Center procurement.

Keep an eye on the procurement schedule for more regular updates on all procurements.

Authority Completes 60th Structure in the Central Valley

Recently, the Authority completed two more structures in the Central Valley, bringing the total number of completed structures to 60.

On May 1, the Authority opened the Road 26 Grade Separation, the 11th and final Madera County high-speed rail structure. The grade separation improves safety by allowing pedestrians and vehicular traffic to travel over the existing BNSF railroad and the future high-speed rail tracks.

Located between Club Drive and Avenue 18½, north of Madera, the three-lane structure spans 636 feet and is 68 feet wide.

Previously, on March 13, the Authority announced the opening of the Ventura Street Underpass. Less than a mile from the future Fresno Station site, the underpass connects downtown to southwest Fresno and Chinatown safely and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating an at-grade crossing.

The structure is located between F and H streets and is designed for two-lane traffic, bike lanes, and protected walkways in both directions. The grade separation spans more than 1,000 feet long and 90 feet wide and will take traffic more than 15 feet below the UP and future high-speed rail tracks. For more information on this structure, read the news release here.

With these structures completed, stay tuned for more progress as more than 1,400 workers are dispatched to high-speed rail construction sites every week.

Authority Welcomes New Program Leaders

Over the last few months, the Authority has welcomed three new executives, with another joining soon, to lead important programs across the agency.

On March 20, Christine Ciccotti was sworn in as our new General Counsel. Ciccotti brings extensive legal experience to the position, previously serving as Chief Counsel at two state agencies, a deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, and various legal roles for the federal government including the U.S. Air Force. Learn more about Ciccotti here.

On April 6, Marilyn G. Norris MBA was sworn in as Chief of Safety and Security. Coming from the private sector, Norris most recently worked at ConGlobal, where she held multiple leadership positions, including Director of Safety and Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Safety and Compliance Manager. She has also held management positions at REMPREX, West Coast Automotive and Intermodal Operation, and Amazon. Learn more about Norris here.

Antonio Buelna was sworn in as Chief of Infrastructure Maintenance on April 9. As the previous Assistant Director of Capital Projects for the City of Fresno and Director of Rail Management for Union Pacific Railroad (UP), Buelna offers valuable insight into Central Valley infrastructure and experience with operational rail. Learn more about Buelna here.

On June 3, Joshua Hurlbert ( Joshua H. ) will be sworn in as the Authority’s Chief Technology Officer. Hurlbert has many years of experience in Information Technology (IT), serving as Director of IT at Brightline West Trains and Front Gate Tickets/Ticketmaster, and in various other IT positions. Learn more about Hurlbert here.

The wealth of experience they bring to the project will be crucial for maintaining our current pace of progress.

PARTNER UPDATES

Caltrain Named Fastest-Growing Transit System After Electrification

Public response to California’s only electric train service remains overwhelmingly positive.

Caltrain , the Bay Area’s regional rail network, just completed its first year of electrified service and was honored as the fastest-growing transit agency in the country by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Caltrain reported a 57 percent yearly ridership increase in 2025, the largest among any mid-size system. Weekend ridership doubled and the agency logged five consecutive months with more than 1 million riders.

It’s a clear sign that people support better transportation options. Riders’ enthusiasm was reflected in the agency’s 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey, which gave it the highest scores in the survey’s 27-year history. Riders gave Caltrain a record rating 4.41 out of 5, up from 4.02 in 2024, and 93 percent said they were satisfied overall.

Members of the public said they liked the shorter travel times, increased frequency, comfort, and onboard Wi-Fi that electrification makes possible. The new service replaced historic diesel engines with zero-emission electric motors powered entirely by renewable power, mostly from solar and wind. The result is a cleaner and healthier system for riders, operators, and nearby communities. Higher ridership also helps ease traffic by taking cars off the road.

“The new trains are great and I’m glad they reduce pollution,” said Ernie Frausto, a San Francsico teacher who uses public transportation for trips around the Bay Area. “It reminds me of what you see when traveling through Italy or other parts of Europe.”

The successful roll-out of electrification highlights the coming benefits of high-speed rail. The Authority contributed about one-third of the $2.4 billion cost for Caltrain’s upgrade because future high-speed trains will use the same tracks and overhead electrical system. The route from San Francisco to San Jose is a key building block for the state’s future high-speed rail network.

The ridership award was one of several honors the electrification and modernization project earned in its first year. Sustainable San Mateo County presented Caltrain the 2025 Sustainable Award, and APTA awarded it the Commuter Rail Safety Gold Award. The Associated General Contractors of California also named Caltrain Owner of the Year and presented the Build America Highway and Transportation Renovation Award.

“Electrifying the Caltrain corridor was a challenging task that took the efforts of hundreds of people throughout our organization and those of our partners,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard in a recent news release. “Today, that hard work is paying off for tens of thousands of commuters every day, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we were able to achieve together.”

Diridon Station Steps into the Future

San Jose’s historic Diridon Station has seen a surge of activity over the past year as five public agencies collaborate on plans to modernize and upgrade the city’s transportation connections.

First opened in 1935, the station is a beloved local landmark known for its Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. It is now on track to become Silicon Valley’s future home of high-speed rail service as well as one of the busiest transit hubs on the West Coast.

The Diridon Station Steering Committee recently passed a milestone by awarding a three-year, $21 million contract to the company ICF to begin the environmental review process. This step follows a key policy decision by the partner agencies last year to pursue an at-grade design that keeps rail infrastructure at ground level. This was identified as the most cost-effective approach that best integrates the station with surrounding neighborhoods

The environmental review will advance while work continues the Diridon Program of Projects, which includes a series of street improvements to increase safety, accessibility, and transit-oriented development around the station.

Public input played a central role in shaping the plan. Over a two-year period, more than 5,700 community members participated in 40 events and online activities. Feedback consistently emphasized the importance of creating a station that will meet future needs while simultaneously preserving the historic station, improving accessibility for travelers, and minimizing impacts on nearby streets.

The multi-agency partnership includes Caltrain, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the City of San Jose, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Caltrain led the procurement process for the environmental review contract on behalf of the group.

Looking ahead, the agencies are planning for more than 100,000 trips per day to eventually connect through the station. This anticipated growth will help unlock the potential of the electrification of the rail lines into Diridon, completed in September 2024. The Authority contributed roughly one-third of the $2.4 billion cost of the project that electrified tracks from San Francisco to Tamien Station, just south of Diridon Station. High-speed rail cars and Caltrain cars will share the new tracks in a blended system.

“We’re excited to have reached this important milestone together,” said Steering Committee Chair and County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga when she announced the start of the environmental review. “This is a transformative project, and its success depends on all involved agencies working as a cohesive team. Together, we can realize the future benefits it promises for transit service, the environment, and the regional economy.”

Other important transportation projects are also moving forward as plans for Diridon’s future take shape. VTA is continuing early construction on Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley Extension, which will connect Diridon to the Berryessa BART station. Meanwhile, the San Jose City Council voted to continue studying the proposed Diridon Airport Connector, an autonomous electric people-mover system that would operate on dedicated guideways.

OUTREACH UPDATES

The Conical Secret: Kids Discover the Science of Train Wheels at sciencepalooza!

More than 450 students, parents, and teachers visited the High-Speed Rail booth for a hands-on demonstration of California’s transportation future at sciencepalooza! in April.

The Authority participated for the third straight year in the high-energy event that transforms the San Jose State University campus into a festival of invention and discovery.

Visitors to this year’s high-speed rail booth took on a question that many rail passengers never stop to ask: How do you keep a train perfectly balanced at 200 mph? The answer lies in the geometry of the wheels. Partnering with the engineering firm HNTB, the Authority set up an interactive demonstration using small wheel models and track segments. People might assume train wheels are flat cylinders, but the students discovered that they are actually shaped like shallow cones. This tapering centers the train wheels on the tracks, reducing friction and ensuring stability as the train leans into curves at high speeds.

The sciencepalooza! event is held for students from the East Side Alliance, a group of east San José school districts that serve the city’s most diverse neighborhoods. The Synopsys Outreach Foundation sponsors the event to provide students insight into STEM education and careers.

The young people in attendance are the next generation of riders and workers for California’s high-speed rail network. The science on display is especially relevant to them as San José continues evolving into a hub for passenger rail where high-speed trains will eventually connect with Amtrak, BART, Caltrain, and VTA.

SoCal Outreach Recap

Los Angeles Festival of Books

On the bright and sunny LA weekend of April 18 to 19, Authority staff greeted about 1,600 people from their table at the two-day Los Angeles Festival of Books at the University of Southern California. Hosted by the Los Angeles Times, the festival is the largest literary and cultural celebration in the United States, drawing tens of thousands of attendees and featuring celebrated authors and performers. This year’s event featured Lionel Ritchie, Sarah Jessica Parker, Larry David, and Amy Tan.

People of all ages enjoyed coloring books, conductor hats, and high-speed rail bookmarks, as well as model cardboard pop-up trains and “baseball cards” highlighting some of the standout high-speed rail structures in the Central Valley.

Student Outreach

HSR is hard at work connecting with students in Southern California. In March, HSR conducted outreach at the Charter Oak High School Career Expo, the Baldwin Park High School’s College and Career Fair, and the Metro Girls Empowerment Summit. High school students got to hear presentations about what it’s like to work on the high-speed rail project and chat with the Southern California team about their hopes for the future.

HSR IN THE NEWS

When will CA High-Speed Rail road construction end in Fresno? Here’s the timeline

The Fresno Bee

The Fresno Bee staff joined the Central Valley and HQ information officers for a construction tour in Fresno County. The article covers the big changes happening in Fresno in the coming months, highlighting the timeline of projects nearing completion and several more getting ready to begin. It also features an accompanying video with our own Information Officer II, Augie Blancas, who discussed recently completed and opened projects as well as the tangible benefits to Fresno residents.

Will California High-Speed Rail lay tracks in 2026, as promised? See agency’s plan

The Fresno Bee

In this Fresno Bee article, Erik Galicia examines the Authority’s plan to begin laying tracks before the end of the year. Galicia features a conversation with board member Henry Perea, who stated the construction is planned to begin by the end of the year. Galicia touches on the completion of the Southern Railhead facility and other progress enabling this major milestone.

California High-Speed Rail Hits New Construction Milestone

Newsweek

Newsweek covered the recent opening of the Ventura Avenue (formerly Cesar Chavez Boulevard) underpass in Downtown Fresno. The article highlights the safety benefits the new underpass brings to Fresno residents and notes the significant impact this segment will have on the surrounding community, reconnecting downtown with southwest Fresno and Chinatown. The article highlights how grade separations like this one bring tangible benefits long before the trains begin to run.

(Spanish) Bullet train project advances in the Central Valley despite federal challenges

Univision 21 Fresno

In this Univision segment, reporter Nicole Santos visited the construction of the Shaw Avenue overpass, where 36 massive girders were recently placed. It also covers the progress the Authority has made in Fresno. Santos speaks with Authority Information Officer Ramiro Diaz, discussing the safety benefits this overpass will bring to residents. Santos also took time to speak with Adrian Estrada, a local business owner, about how the project is affecting him. Estrada stated that despite inconveniences like road closures, he is excited for the project to be completed and what that will mean for his business and other small businesses in Fresno. In all, this piece displays the Authority’s progress in Fresno toward creating the nation’s first high-speed rail line.

(Blog) ‘60 Minutes’ Review of High-Speed Rail: A Lukewarm Look at the Project

Streetsblog California

This Streetsblog piece reviews the recent CBS 60 Minutes episode covering the adoption of high-speed rail in the United States. The piece details the shortcomings of the 15-minute episode, detailing its omission on progress and milestones reached. The author, Damien Newton, explains how the episode’s failure to provide a rounded picture of the California High-Speed Rail led to an increase of misinformation about the project. With thoughtful consideration of the benefits of Cap-and-Invest, the electrification of Caltrain, and the benefits the project has brought to the Central Valley, this is a worthwhile read to better understand the true future of high-speed rail.

High-Speed Rail’s giant Central CA railhead yard built in one year. What will it do?

The Fresno Bee

Erik Galicia with the Fresno Bee offers an overview of the Southern Railhead project in Kern County completed earlier this year. The article explains the purpose and significance of the site, which enables the Authority to begin laying tracks later this year. Galicia features statements made by Governor Gavin Newsom and CEO Ian Choudri, emphasizing the progress the program has made toward the goal of completing the initial Merced-to-Bakersfield segment and delivering the first true high-speed rail in the nation.

Summary of CEO remarks delivered at the April 2026 Board meeting. This narrative is not exhaustive; readers can view the full presentation here and video here.

A Defining Year Takes Shape

When we closed out 2025, I said 2026 would be one of the busiest and most consequential years in the history of this program. Now, nearly halfway through the year, I want to share where we stand on our commitments, and how the work underway is shaping the future of high‑speed rail in California.

Planning the work is not enough; we must work the plan. The collaboration across our executive team and staff has been the strongest I’ve seen in many years, reflecting the readiness of this program as we move into major delivery.

Advancing Materials and Track Deployment

A key focus this year has been advancing early procurement of critical materials. In 2024, we committed to placing orders in 2026, and we have delivered on that promise.

• Long-welded rail and concrete ties are now under contract.
• Cable trough procurement is advancing, and additional materials, including OCS poles and ballast, are moving through evaluation.
• We have also advanced Fresno Station early works, keeping our station program on track.

These procurements will enable deliveries later this year to support the start of track installation.

Major Procurement and Construction Milestones Ahead

In June, we will present to the Board the track and systems contract for approval. This is one of the largest and most consequential rail procurements undertaken in the United States in decades. Years of engineering, planning, and coordination have led to this point.

We are also moving forward with other major efforts.

• The Merced to Madera extension is underway, marking a key step toward advancing the system north.
• Architectural and engineering (A&E) IDIQ procurements are scheduled for later this year.
• We are close to procuring a Program Delivery Partner in 2026, strengthening our capacity as we scale up construction.

Progress on Co-Development Partnership

Our co-development agreement is nearing completion. As noted at the end of 2024, we invited P3 investor groups to bring forward their ideas. After an extensive evaluation process, we expect to present the selected partner to the Board in June. This partner will collaborate with us to shape our financial model and delivery strategy. Bringing them aboard quickly is essential.

Legislative & Policy Priorities

Recent legislative progress has been significant. The reauthorization of Cap-and‑Invest, committing $1 billion annually through 2045, is a major accomplishment, though it does not fully fund the San Francisco to Los Angeles buildout.

We continue to advance the following policy priorities:

• utility relocation streamlining and third‑party management
• CEQA exemptions for renewable energy
• streamlined permitting
• expedited right-of‑way cases
• updates to Senate Bill 198
• station‑area land-use tools
• improvements to encroachment permitting

I want to thank Director Emily Cohen and ex officio Board Member Assemblymember Carrillo for emphasizing the importance of these policy changes. As Director Cohen noted, the Authority is not responsible for every component required to deliver this project, and this legislative package is critical to getting it done.

Modernizing How We Contract and Deliver

The Board recently adopted a new Capital Procurement and Contract Management Policy, strengthening governance and supporting more flexible procurement tools. We are deploying contracting methods widely used across the country, including IDIQ for MATOC . These tools allow faster, competitive task orders while ensuring transparency and will be essential as we prepare to deploy $9.8 billion over the next three years.

Growing Our Team to Meet the Moment

Since the start of the year, we have onboarded new staff across engineering, project delivery, environmental, and administrative functions. These hires strengthen our internal capacity as we prepare for expanded construction and systems work.

Staying Focused on 2026 and Beyond

This year is already proving pivotal. Working with the Newsom Administration, the Legislature, and our Board, we will continue to pursue the policies, people, and partnerships needed to deliver this project consistent with global best practices.

A comparison of travel times between LA and SF for driving, public transit (including CAHSR’s modified LA-SF route), and flying, shown here as a hypothetical race from downtown to downtown, starting at Crypto Arena in LA and finishing at Union Square in SF.

Times are calculated based on current travel times of certain modes and estimated ones (CAHSR), and are approximate. These are broken down below:

Car: 382 miles, 5 hours 51 minutes

Based on current estimated drive time, which can fluctuate depending on road conditions, potential traffic, and stops.

Public Transit: 460 miles, 5 hours 11 minutes

• Walk to Pico Station (7 minutes plus 2 minute wait),
• Metro A Line to LA Union Station (10 minutes)
• 15-minute transfer at LA Union Station
• CAHSR (4 hours 21 minutes; calculated based on projected express travel time for interim HSR service sharing AV Line to Palmdale, and up to 110mph running from Gilroy to SF)
• 6-minute transfer at Salesforce Transit Center
• Muni 38R Bus (8 minutes)
• Walk to Union Square (2 minutes)

Flying: 372 miles, 4 hours 29 minutes

• 15-minute wait for rideshare (can vary)
• Rideshare to LAX (21 minutes; depends on traffic and road conditions)
• 90 minutes at LAX, from arriving at curbside to plane leaving gate
• Fly LAX to SFO (80 minutes from gate to gate, assuming no delays)
• 15 minutes from plane to AirTrain
• AirTrain to SFO BART station (5 minutes plus 6 minute transfer)
• BART to Powell Street station (29 minutes)
• Walk to Union Square (8 minutes)

So based on this, and if these travel times hold up on a regular basis, flying would still come out on top, but only by a little over 1/2 an hour or so, which in terms of competitiveness isn’t that huge a gap in travel time.

The TV show Mythbusters also did once run a race from SF to LA to test the myth if journeys under 400 miles are faster by car than plane, racing from their M5 Industries workshop in SF to the Natural History Museum in LA. The total plane journey took 5 hours 25 minutes, while driving took 5 hours 33 minutes. They concluded that because of how close the finish was, and variables that can affect the results either way, it was deemed plausible that driving could be faster than flying for journeys under 400 miles.

So bearing that in mind, even a 5-hour journey by public transit for downtown-downtown travel puts it well within the realm of competitiveness to flying, given how much the air travel time can be affected by various factors, as well as driving. Granted, similar delays can happen to public transit too, namely for CAHSR if it’s sharing a good part of its route from LA to Palmdale and Gilroy to SF (32% of the total LA-SF route) with other trains that can be delayed by various factors, causing a domino effect to CAHSR trains on those tracks.

It means that ultimately whichever mode one chooses will come down to their personal preference, just as a sub-3 hour nonstop LA-SF HSR journey would. And it also means that maybe, just maybe, a Palmdale-Gilroy high speed rail route, with shared tracks to LA and SF, could suffice in delivering the bulk of benefits this project set out to deliver, especially when the majority of ridership will likely be between the Central Valley cities and those major metro areas, less so SF-LA, given how much the estimated costs have exponentially increased and if those benefits still outweigh those costs enough to justify them.

A one-seat LA-SF ride does need to happen though, to compete with the convenience of flying and driving (few if any transfers), as well as for travel time, and also comfort as well as cost. And it needs to be delivered ASAP, if that can be the 2040s, if maybe even the 2030s, or if it’s destined to take longer than that based on the current funding trend and what future funding there is and where it may come from, among whatever other factors come into play that can slow down, or speed up, construction progress.

I do have confidence that by the 2040s, one will be able to board a high speed train at LA‘s Union Station and ride it all the way to SF’s Salesforce Transit Center, with an express travel time of a little over four hours, faster than driving and competitive with flying for downtown-downtown travel, at least in overall experience.

How and when it achieves that remains to be seen, but it will be done simply because California has to finish what it started, even in this modified form, as the alternatives currently remain more costly and less beneficial in the long run than finishing HSR and delivering a competitive third option for intercity travel between the Bay Area, Central Valley, and SoCal as quickly as possible.

We need that today, and will in all likelihood continue to, as travel between all three regions shows little sign of slowing down anytime soon, and current competitive intercity travel options are already strained. HSR, even modified, will help relieve some of that pressure on freeways and airports, giving those currently forced to drive or fly a third competitive option, in addition to generating more trips from those people who currently can’t or prefer not to drive or fly.

*Edit: I’ve recalculated the PT travel time, and added ten minutes to reflect that the CAHSR trains would likely be traveling at the current Caltrain track speeds between San Jose and SF, not 110mph (so when viewing the image replace the 1 minute for PT with 11 minutes). I’m still assuming they will be going up to 110mph between San Jose and Gilroy.

Not sounding too hopeful for any ongoing US high speed rail project, including California HSR.

However, I cling on to hope that this is the year things turn around in the project’s favor, starting with the installation of tracks and systems that remains set to begin by the end of this year, albeit just. We shall see though if that comes to pass, especially with the election of a new governor this year and how they’ll handle this project during their term.

We're hiring a Media and Recording Producer to shoot and edit video for the Authority's website and social media applications, document current and future construction of the High-Speed Rail project + more!

📅Final Filing Date: 5/26/2026
💵Salary Range: $6,031.00 - $7,547.00 per Month
🔗Job Posting: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=516080

This is a program that aired in probably the early 2000s showcasing six train rides around the US that connect to national parks.

It includes the Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier, the Alaska Railroad‘s Denali Star to Denali and Coastal Classic to Kenai Fjords, the American Orient Express from Seattle to Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Coast Starlight from LA to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area, Crater Lake and Mount Rainer.

It’s worth the watch, and cool to see all the different national parks that are within relatively close proximity to these US train routes. Are there any other routes that pass near a national park or other NPS-controlled area (say within a 60 to 90-minute drive of the nearest station) that you can think of (both the train route and the park name)?