High-Speed Rail Business Plans

The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) business plan is an overarching policy document used to inform the Legislature, the public, and stakeholders of the project’s implementation, and to assist the Legislature in making policy decisions regarding the project.

The Authority is required by Public Utilities Code 185033, to prepare, publish, adopt and submit a business plan to the California Legislature every two years. The business plan must include the following elements:

• The type of service the Authority anticipates it will develop;
• The proposed timeline for construction and the expected schedule for completing the environmental review process;
• Alternative financial scenarios based on different levels of service;
• Forecasts of ridership levels, operation and maintenance costs and capital costs;
• Written agreements with public or private entities to fund the system and an estimate of anticipated funding sources;
• And a discussion of foreseeable risks to the project and plans to mitigate those risks.

At least 60 days prior to the publication of the plan, the Authority must publish a draft business plan for public review and comment. The draft plan must also be submitted to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing, the Assembly Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, and the Assembly Committee on Budget.

The first business plan was issued in 2000 keeping with the mandate identified in Chapter 796 of the Statutes of 1996 (Senate Bill 1420, Kopp and Costa). Since then the Authority adopted and submitted a business plan in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and most recently in 2020.