The California High-Speed Rail Board has approved a business plan targeting passenger service between Merced and Bakersfield by 2033. - The plan includes a potential Bay Area connection via Gilroy and the Caltrain corridor.
- Board member Lynn Schenk questioned the focus on Gilroy over Southern California. - The updated cost estimate for the full LA-to-SF system ranges from $126 billion to $231 billion.
- Officials say nearly $87 billion in additional funding is needed from public and private sources. The plan aims to move the project beyond the Central Valley, but faces financial and logistical challenges.