Discussions are underway that could see the first stage of the California high speed railway, which is currently under construction, connect Bakersfield to Gilroy rather than Merced after a report concluded it would be more financially viable.
Newsweek contacted the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), which is behind the plan, for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Currently, the United States lags significantly behind the likes of Japan, China and western Europe on high-speed rail, though construction has begun on the California high speed rail project and a number of other proposed lines have been made across the country.
However, the Trump administration’s support for high-speed rail has been questioned and in July Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revoked a $4 billion federal grant that had been allocated the California high speed rail project.
What To Know
Speaking to local network Fox26 News, a CHSRA spokesperson said it was considering building the first stage of the new line from Bakersfield to Gilroy rather than Merced.
It came after a 2025 supplemental project update report, published by the CHSRA in August, concluded a line to Bakersfield could receive “significantly higher ridership and revenue outcomes.”
When contacted by Fox26 News, a CHSRA spokesperson confirmed a Bakersfield-to-Gilroy line is being considered as an alternative to Bakersfield-to-Merced for the initial stage, claiming the latter would likely operate at a loss for several years.
According to the network Merced County Management analyst Dalia Costa challenged CHSRA staff about the change, which she said she’d only learned about from media reports, at a board meeting last week.
However, they insisted extending the line to Merced was still part of the overall California high speed rail plan, with the line expected to be built in several stages.
There are also proposals to connect the California high-speed rail line to Brightline West, a high-speed rail line currently under construction that is intended to connect Las Vegas to southern California. This connection would be made through the so-called “High Desert Corridor,” an additional high-speed rail line linking Palmdale to Victor Valley, though this has yet to receive regulatory approval.
What People Are Saying
Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto said, per Fox26News: “This is just a proposal or a suggestion that potentially prioritizes the Bakersfield-to-Gilroy stretch. But as of now, the Merced-to-Bakersfield stretch is still required to be built.”
Dalia Costa said during this week’s board meeting: “We are disappointed learning that Merced County is not being consistently included in the discussions that impact our community.” A board member insisted Costa’s concerns were being taken seriously.
The CHSRA’s 2025 supplementary project update report said: “It is critical that the project be responsive to evolving funding opportunities, market dynamics, and ridership potential. As outlined in Chapter 1, the Gilroy – Bakersfield scenario and the Gilroy – Palmdale scenario both demonstrate significantly higher ridership and revenue outcomes. Advancing construction in these corridors would not only accelerate mobility benefits across the state but also generate greater revenue streams that could be reinvested in the system and improve the project’s attractiveness to private capital.”
What Happens Next?
The Merced-to-Bakersfield line is still intended to be completed by 2032. It is likely there will be more disputes over the route and funding of the California high speed rail network as construction progresses.
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