High-speed rail enters new phase The California High-Speed Rail project got its best news in over a decade when election victories in Georgia handed control of the U.S. Senate to the Democrats. Coupled with ‘Amtrak Joe’s’ inauguration, things are now looking bright for completing the project. In that context, next week the Authority will release its newest business plan update. According to a release and update letter from the agency’s CEO, the project will soon have spent “100 percent of the required state match for $2.5 billion in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds achieved in the first quarter of 2021 (22 months ahead of deadline)” meaning, despite the misinformation sown by HSR opponents, the project is fulfilling its obligations and will continue to be eligible for federal investments. In addition, things are on schedule for the all-important “Environmental clearance of our first two segments into Los Angeles County with the Record of Decision (ROD) for Bakersfield to Palmdale planned in the second quarter of 2021 and for Burbank to Los Angeles in the fourth quarter of 2021.”