Calling California’s high-speed rail “the worst managed project” he’s ever seen, President Donald Trump announced he would investigate cost overruns on an effort that could cost $135 billion when it’s finished.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, though, hopes the project can be completed after the investigation.

“There has been a lot of cost overrun and criticisms of the project and how it was managed during the first few years,” said Sontaya Rose, director of communications for the city of Fresno. “Despite that, (Dyer) still feels it connects Fresno to the California economy and it is important to continue to ensure that that happens.”

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Dyer Says Federal Funding Needed to Finish Project

Dyer believes federal funding is necessary to complete the project, Rose said. Whether that be a public-private partnership remains to be seen, she said.

In addition to getting a stop on the high-speed rail line, the city also secured a promise of a nearby maintenance yard that could provide between 200 and 300 jobs, according to the High-Speed Rail Authority.

Dyer and former Mayor Ashley Swearengin have advocated for the project, saying it could revitalize downtown Fresno and the city as a whole.

Legislators in 2008 originally expected the project to cost $33 billion. To date, $13 billion has been spent on the project, according to the High-Speed Rail Authority. Of that, $10 billion came directly from the state.

171 miles are under design and active construction, employing 14,600 jobs.

Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) praised the jobs created and said big projects take time.

“Trump attacks our progress without understanding the roadblocks that have arisen through lawsuits trying to kill the project,” Costa said. “We’re focused on creating jobs and moving California forward. This isn’t just about a rail line, it’s a 21st-Century transportation system that Asia and Europe built decades ago. This is about good-paying jobs, cleaner air, and a future of better-connected communities.”

The California High-Speed Rail has created 14,500 Central Valley jobs, boosting the economy for future generations.

Unwarranted investigations threaten job security—let’s focus on infrastructure and water investment to strengthen our communities pic.twitter.com/gt4pvAAEz4

— Rep. Jim Costa (@RepJimCosta) February 5, 2025

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HSR Inspector Expects Another Delay

In 2024, High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Brian Kelly testified finishing the Merced to Bakersfield segment could cost another $32 billion.

Connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles to a route reduced by Gov. Gavin Newsom could cost another $100 billion, project leaders estimated.

The authority in 2023 estimated that the 119 miles from Merced to Bakersfield could be done by 2030, giving itself three years’ leeway for delays. But on Monday, the Office of Inspector General said in a report it doubted it could meet that completion date. The inspector general said it would take another year beyond 2030 to finish the segment.

“Uncertainty about some parts of the project has increased as the Authority has recently made decisions that deviated from the procurement and funding strategies that were part of its plans for staying on schedule,” the Inspector General’s report stated. “In addition, there are ongoing risks of delay to completing the first 119 miles of the M-B segment, such as construction delays related to continued disagreements with third parties, that further threaten the timely completion of the segment.”

Part of the delay comes from a recent strategy shift away from asking for federal funding, the inspector general reported. HSRA needs to secure another $6.5 billion by 2026. The authority originally intended to seek $4.7 billion in new funding from the Federal-State Partnership grant program to finish the second track on the Bakersfield-Merced segment.

In December 2024, it changed that plan, saying it wanted to use the grant money to design portions outside the Central Valley.

Tangipa Wants a Financial Plan for High-Speed Rail

Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, authored Assembly Bill 377 compelling the authority to create a financial plan for the project. He said a federal investigation into high-speed rail is needed.

“We have spent billions of dollars building high-speed rail for over a decade and what do we have to show for it?” Tangipa said. “I think that is the question everybody is asking and now the president is demanding an investigation and we join him in that demand.”