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SACRAMENTO - The California High Speed Rail Authority has released its 2019 Project Update Report which cites an additional $1.8 billion in cost overruns to complete a portion of the project from Bakersfield to Merced. The 119 mile project is now estimated to be completed no sooner than 2028 and would bring the total dollar amount of the project to $20.4 billion. Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) issued the following statement:
"If you drive up and down California, you know our roads and highways are crumbling and in desperate need of repair. Instead of making those repairs our top priority, Sacramento Democrats are pouring billions of your tax dollars into the failed High-Speed rail system. In fact, with this last report, the cost of their high-speed train will be $170 million per mile, and rising by the minute.
"At the governor's state of the state address in February, he said he didn't see a path for the entire project. I commended him for his resolve to bring accountability to the project. But the violation has already occurred and it's time to kill the high-speed rail project and say 'no more' to mismanagement of taxpayer dollars," said Senate Republican Leader Grove.