California High-Speed Rail retains majority support among California voters, with 62% overall approval and 80% of Democrats backing the project. Younger cohorts show higher approval: 79% of Gen Z, 72% of Millennials, 56% of Gen X, and 48% of Baby Boomers. Voter support has remained consistent since the 2008 ballot measure that dedicated $10 billion, despite delays and rising costs. Congressional Oversight Committee Chair James Comer requested a staff-level briefing and opened an investigation into whether CHSRA knowingly misrepresented ridership projections and financial viability. Early 2008 cost estimates for L.A.–S.F. were roughly $33 billion; Central Valley estimates now exceed $35 billion.
This continues despite non-stop nonsensical attacks from elected officials in the Trump Administration and here in California that have somehow escalated in the past six months. 62% of California voters, including 80% of Democrats, support building the project. The poll also breaks down approval by age, showing that as voters get younger they are more likely to support the project. 79% of Gen Zers, 72% of Millennials, 56% of Gen Xers, and 48% of Baby Boomers want to see the rail line built.
But one person who is not a fan of the California High-Speed Rail project is Congressmember James Comer (R-KY) who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Earlier this week, Comer wrote to USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy to ask for a "staff level briefing" to aid his committee's new investigation into whether or not CAHSR committed fraud it it "knowingly misrepresented ridership projections and financial viability of the rail system when it applied for federal and state funds."
Support for rail is hardly news. These latest results are in line with polls Streetsblog has covered in the past. Since 2008 when voters passed a ballot measure to dedicate $10 billion for the project, voter polling has consistently shown support for the project even as it faced delays and higher-than-expected costs. Circa 2008, early estimates for L.A.-S.F. high-speed rail were roughly $33 billion. Currently estimates for just the Central Valley spine are higher than that, $35 billion.
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