An artist’s rendition of a California high-speed rail station. (credit: cahighspeedrail.ca.gov)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — State lawmakers plan to begin taking up Gov. Jerry Brown’s top infrastructure initiative for a California bullet train.
The Assembly was expected to vote Thursday afternoon on a bill authorizing the first leg of the high-speed rail line, which would start in the Central Valley.
The bill would authorize selling $2.6 billion in voter-approved state bonds, allowing California to tap $3.3 billion in federal grants. It also would allocate about $2 billion for regional transit improvements in Northern and Southern California.
Once complete, the $68 billion bullet train would connect San Francisco with Los Angeles.
It is not clear how the rest of the construction will be financed.
The bill is expected to face a contentious vote in the Senate, where it is expected to be taken up Friday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press
