High-Speed Rail Merced Extension Reaches 60% Design ​

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has announced that the Merced extension segment has reached 60% design completion, a milestone that the Authority celebrated with the enthusiasm of a project that has learned not to celebrate too loudly, lest someone bring up the budget.

For the uninitiated: California has been building a high-speed rail system since voters approved Proposition 1A in 2008 with a $9.95 billion bond measure and a promise of San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 hours and 40 minutes for approximately $33 billion. The current estimated cost is somewhere north of $100 billion, the timeline has been revised to "eventually," and the first operational segment will connect Merced to Bakersfield — two cities that, while perfectly lovely, are not quite what voters had in mind when they pictured bullet train travel.

The 60% Milestone ​

The 60% design package includes finalized horizontal and vertical alignments, preliminary structural designs for 12 grade separation structures, and drainage systems designed for the Central Valley's unique hydrology, which alternates between "catastrophic flood" and "existential drought" with very little in between. The design team has also resolved right-of-way conflicts with three active freight rail corridors, which involved negotiations that we can only assume were deeply relaxing for everyone involved.

Merced Station Design ​

The Merced station concept has been updated to integrate with the planned ACE train extension, creating a multimodal hub that connects high-speed rail, commuter rail, and local transit. The renderings look beautiful. They always look beautiful. The question of who will ride high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield at 220 mph remains a topic of spirited discussion at community meetings.

Budget Status ​

The Merced-to-Bakersfield segment is currently budgeted at $33.2 billion, which is — and this is genuinely impressive — roughly the same as the original estimate for the entire 520-mile system. The Authority notes this figure reflects "2024 year-of-expenditure dollars" and includes risk contingencies. It does not include the cost of the extensions to San Francisco and Los Angeles, which are currently funded with optimism.

Construction on the Merced extension is expected to begin in 2028.