Statewide News 2024 Small Business Fair HSR Creates 14K Jobs New Authority CFO 2024 Sustainability Report Upcoming Industry Event

Northern California  Caltrain Electrification Launches #ThePortalSFtoHSR: Meet the Designer Printing a Vision Into Reality Northern California Open Houses

Southern California Environmental Work, WTS, & Construction SoCal Public Outreach I Will Ride Hits Stride in SoCal Veteran Takes a Birds Eye View RSE Makes Transportation Improvements

Upcoming Events Upcoming Events

Connecting Small Businesses at the Merced Diversity and Resources Fair

In October, the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Small Business team brought together more than 200 attendees representing small businesses from around the state for its second annual Diversity and Resources Fair at UC Merced. The event provided networking opportunities with more than 30 prime contractors as well as a student engagement panel — the Authority’s first student panel at a small business event. Panelists interacted with students and highlighted various construction and transportation career paths, including the high-speed rail project.

The event also featured two small business certification workshops hosted by the California Department of General Services and the California Department of Transportation, including business matchmaking with 17 prime contractors working on the high-speed rail project and a panel discussion on accessing capital and finance.

The Authority has aggressive goals for small business participation and currently works with 860 certified small businesses statewide. The Small Business team is dedicated to helping small businesses better navigate opportunities, access resources, and more. Read more about this event here.

The next Small Business Diversity and Resources Fair will be held in the Bay Area in 2025.

 

High-Speed Rail Creates More Than 14,000 Construction Jobs

In September, the Authority announced that more than 14,000 good-paying labor jobs have been created since construction began in 2015, with over 70 percent of those jobs going to Central Valley residents. This milestone is only possible due to the Authority’s ongoing collaboration with the California construction trades union.

“The progress made on this historic project is thanks to the skilled men and women dispatched to high-speed rail construction sites every day. There is no question that transportation projects like this one create good-paying jobs, and I’m proud to continue building upon the work already done to advance construction in the Central Valley and the rest of California,” said Authority CEO Ian Choudri.

There are currently more than 30 active construction sites on the high-speed rail project in California’s Central Valley, and an average of more than 1,500 workers are dispatched daily.

Read more about this milestone here.

 

New Chief Financial Officer Appointed to Authority

Last week, the Governor’s Office announced that Jamey Matalka has been appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Matalka has served in several positions at the Authority, including Director of Risk Management and Project Controls since 2020 and Assistant Chief Financial Officer from 2016 to 2020. Matalka also held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2011 to 2016.

Prior to his time with the Authority, Matalka spent five years working on developing the state budget in various capacities, including as a Principal Program Budget Analyst III for the Department of Finance. In addition, he spent five years working for the for the Department of Managed Health Care serving to protect health benefits for California citizens.

Congratulations to CFO Jamey Matalka!

 

 

Authority Releases 2024 Sustainability Report

The Authority released its annual Sustainability Report in September. This report details the cumulative and annual progress the high-speed rail project has made on its social, economic, and environmental goals in the last year as it builds one of the greenest and most significant public infrastructure projects in the nation.

Key highlights from the report include:

• Avoiding 110,000 pounds of criteria air pollutants in 2023 and more than 570,000 pounds of pollutants since the start of construction.
• Preserving and restoring more than 4,400 acres of habitat and protecting more than 3,400 acres of agricultural land from development.
• Diverting more than 95 percent of non-hazardous waste from landfills.
• Advancing station design and delivery.
• Keeping in touch with the public by connecting with more than 33,700 community members at 346 community meetings.

The annual report provides details on the Authority’s efforts from January 1 to December 31, 2023, and captures critical data from the first part of 2024.

Learn more about the 2024 Sustainability Report here.

 

Upcoming Industry Forum

The Authority will be hosting a two-day industry forum in Sacramento on January 30 and 31, 2025. Join the Authority’s new CEO, Ian Choudri, as well as members of the Authority’s staff and Board of Directors as we discuss our vision for the next phase of this historic program.

More information to follow on this event.

UPDATES FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

 

Caltrain Electrification Brings High-Speed Rail Closer

The reviews are in for California’s first fully electric rail experience — and the public loves it!

“It’s great, it’s really smooth, it’s quiet,” reported one passenger in a widely viewed Instagram. “It’s quicker, it’s cleaner, it’s quieter as well,” said another.

The transition to full electrification also unlocks future high-speed rail along the corridor. The California High-Speed Rail Authority trains will run on a “blended system” in the area, meaning they will share these electric tracks and their infrastructure. The Authority committed $714 million to Caltrain’s Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project, nearly 40 percent of the total $2 billion cost, as part of its progress toward a fully electric statewide rail network.

Late last month, regional rail system Caltrain transitioned away from old-fashioned diesel service to fully electric lines and high-performance electric cars on the 51-mile route between San Francisco and San José. This is a milestone for the country and its fight for a climate-resilient future.

The happy passengers who reviewed the new trains were among thousands of fans who had their interest sparked and decided to attend one of Caltrain’s electric service launch parties, which were held at stops along the route.

Passengers enjoy clear benefits from the quieter, smoother service, and it reduces noise impacts and air pollution in regions that have long suffered from both. Commuters will benefit from more frequent and more rapid service, as well as from upgrades to charging outlets, wi-fi, and signage.

Both the current Caltrain cars and the future high-speed rail cars will run at speeds of up to 110 miles per hour on the blended tracks, up from the current top speed of 79 miles per hour. The services will ultimately end at Salesforce Transit Center once The Portal, the tunnel connecting the current rail terminal at 4th and King to the Center, is complete.

The inauguration of the electrification project was first marked at an event in August where Authority CEO Ian Choudri joined Governor Gavin Newsom and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to highlight the progress. “Caltrain’s project is an important piece to the bigger vision of electrified rail throughout California,” noted Choudri.

There are still more steps to be taken. Future modernization of the rail corridor will include extending electrification of the approximately 30 miles from San José to Gilroy, as well as upgrading infrastructure to increase public safety and passenger comfort.

 

Meet the Designer Behind #ThePortalSFtoHSR

The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s vibrant public art installation outside the Salesforce Transit Center invites visitors and commuters alike to envision the future of rail in San Francisco. When a photo is taken at a particular point, people appear to be standing on a construction beam and peering down to the transit center’s future basement-level train platforms.

Unveiled in September during Bay Area Transit Month in partnership with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA), #ThePortalSFtoHSR 3D art installation is an engaging way for people to learn about TJPA’s The Portal project, which will extend California High-Speed Rail and Caltrain into the multimodal transit center that currently connects 9 transit systems.

“It gets people excited. I think these fun installations and products help people embrace these projects and appreciate what’s going on,” said Kevin Gilson, the designer behind the #ThePortalSFtoHSR.

Gilson is the director of Design Visualization and Data Intelligence for WSP, the Authority’s former Rail Delivery Partner, and oversees a team specializing in 3D modeling and animations for transportation projects like California High-Speed Rail.

“What we do always kind of borders on that difference between art and reality. The decal is an example of that, just a little more fun,” Gilson said.

Gilson says to calculate and achieve the 3D perspective, he drew upon his experience in stereoscopic imaging, a process by which two photographs of the same object taken at slightly different angles are viewed together, creating an impression of depth and solidarity.

“There’s a thing called a phantogram within the stereoscopic community,” Gilson explained. “It’s the same thing. It’s one-point perspective, even though it is a three-dimensional perspective view. It’s designed to be viewed from a single viewpoint.”

This type of phantogram, or optical illusion, is a practice that goes back in history. Gilson said it reminds him of installations like Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting on the wall in Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. It is designed so that when a viewer stands in a particular spot marked on the floor, they see the correct perspective of the scene matching the room they are standing in.

In today’s current art landscape, people often see this artistic tool in chalk art. Gilson said he’s never seen any organization employ a phantogram using a giant computer-generated printout on the sidewalk. #ThePortalSFtoHSR has drawn public attention to the project, including a feature in Newsweek and content by San Francisco transit influencers like @Traingirlsummer.

As a 3D model and animation designer with decades of experience in the Bay Area’s transportation projects, such as the high-speed rail program, Caltrain electrification, and the Transbay Portal project, he hopes to make more fun and engaging installations for the public.

“I think it’s great. I’d love to utilize it more. It gives you a sense of what’s going to be there,” Gilson said.

 

Small Business, Big Decal

In celebration of Bay Area Transit Month, the Authority partnered with the TJPA to unveil public art at the Salesforce Transit Center with the help of a small business.

#ThePortalSFtoHSR is an interactive graphic that gives people a 3D preview of the Authority’s future northern terminal 60 feet below the transit center, drawing attention to TJPA’s The Portal project, which will extend Caltrain and high-speed rail to downtown San Francisco.

“I haven’t seen anything like this anywhere in the city,” said Max Rafie, head of marketing at Bay Print Solutions. “We do some nice fun projects, and this one is a little different because of the angle and the perspective.”

The certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and San Francisco Certified Local Business Enterprise (LBE) contracted with TJPA and helped both transit agencies to bring the design to life. Founded in 2017, Bay Print Solutions serves the Bay Area and specializes in signage, construction document printing, scanning, mounting, and laminating.

The Authority and TJPA leaned on Rafie’s expertise to determine what type of material would be best used for the outdoor public art to preserve its integrity. One of Bay Printing Solutions mottos is “think globally, print locally.” Rafie said his business in the Bay Area helps agencies like the Authority save time and money, and it reduces carbon footprints thanks to little or no transportation.

“We are proud of working as a certified SBE and LBE to help transit projects such as The Portal and High-Speed Rail. It shows that the size of the firm is not as important as their capabilities,” Rafie said.

 

450 Visitors Engage at Northern California Open Houses

The Authority’s Northern California Regional Office hosted a series of four open houses this past Fall to engage members of the public in communities along the future alignment. The first events were held in San Mateo County and San José in late September, and the final ones were in Gilroy and San Francisco in late October.

In a strong show of enthusiasm, a total of more than 450 visitors attended the open house series. Attendees represented the diverse range of stakeholders in the project, including station neighbors, community members, local businesspeople, transportation advocates, labor leaders, professional journalists, online influencers, and elected officials.

The visitors engaged directly with project staff on topics that covered every important aspect of the project. The most common question was, “When can we ride?” Many other members of the public sought out specific details on the funding status for the project, as well as the latest environmental and construction updates.

A key issue for members of the public was the ongoing effort to prepare and modernize their local stations for future high-speed rail service. In San Mateo County, members of the public asked about the recent legal settlement reached between the City of Brisbane and the Authority. In Gilroy and San José, visitors asked about the collaboration that is driving efforts to plan the next generation stations for high-speed trains. In San Francisco, members of the public asked about The Portal, TJPA’s project to extend both high-speed rail and Caltrain for two miles to end 60 feet below the Salesforce Transit Center.

“The Authority is committed in keeping the public informed and involved as we work toward bringing high-speed rail to the Bay Area and the greater region,” said Northern California Regional Director Boris Lipkin. “Exciting advancements have been made in 2024, including the completion of the electrification of the Caltrain corridor, a $3.4 billion federal funding commitment for Salesforce Transit Center, and full environmental clearance of the entire high-speed rail alignment from San Francisco to Los Angeles.”

Many guests were excited to engage on the technical details of the project. Professionals, students, and property owners all came to learn about the large maps called “roll-plots” and how the track itself is designed. Other guests asked about the electrical rail systems, geo-technical engineering, and the projected challenges with bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. Public transit partners including TJPA, VTA, and Diridon Station representatives provided overviews of the joint benefits projects that will connect the regions and complete the high-speed rail network.

A steady stream of visitors, both young and adult, engaged with the virtual reality tours of the train cars and station interiors, and asked questions about the map of California travel options. “We want to make the project as real as possible for the public, so they can visualize and imagine the future experience of high-speed rail,” said Becca Tabor, the outreach manager for the Northern California region. “Our VR tool draws in some people and helps spark their imagination, and other people are attracted to the physical designs and plans.”

UPDATES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

 

Environmental Work, WTS Scholarship, and Construction

Work is going full speed ahead to deliver world-class public transportation to Southern California. Although the Authority has achieved full environmental clearance for the route from San Francisco to Los Angeles, there’s still a lot to be done.

Working with LA Metro
At our Southern California hub, the Authority has worked with LA Metro to fund the renovation of Union Station, which is dubbed the “Link US Project.”

Metro released the first environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) in June, with a public hearing in July. The project will revolutionize travel in Los Angeles, thanks, in part, to an overpass that will be built over Highway 101 right next to the station. Trains will no longer have to backtrack into or out of Union Station when they’re traveling to or from points south, increasing efficiency and decreasing travel times. The Link US project includes platforms for high-speed trains, a new pedestrian tunnel, and improvements that will make public transit operate seamlessly in Southern California.

The Authority also partnered with Metro to renovate one of the most dangerous intersections in California. The Authority contributed about $77 million to build the Rosecrans-Marquardt overpass, which opened to vehicle traffic in January 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

Los Angeles to Anaheim Draft EIR Coming in 2025
The Authority plans to release a draft EIR/EIS for the Los Angeles-to-Anaheim section in the first half of 2025. The Authority’s Board of Directors approved the Preferred Alternative for that section at a meeting in May 2024. That plan uses the existing shared Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) urban rail corridor. This corridor currently supports passenger and freight rail services including Metrolink, Amtrak, and BNSF Railway. The Authority seeks approval to build a fourth rail line between Los Angeles and Anaheim, primarily on right of ways already held and used by rail traffic. Two rail lines would be dedicated to passenger traffic while freight traffic would primarily use the other two lines, with occasional crossover to the passenger rails.

WTS-Los Angeles Honors Authority Staff
Public Information Officer Crystal Royval has worked with the Authority for nearly four years. While she spends her days leading Southern California’s student outreach program and raising public awareness about our project, Crystal has spent her evenings and weekends working to earn a master’s degree in diverse community development leadership from Cal State Northridge.

Crystal was honored recently with a $7,500 scholarship from WTS-Los Angeles. The Myra L. Frank Memorial scholarship remembers the founder of a key environmental planning and assessment firm in the Los Angeles area.

Crystal was also recently given a scholarship by Latinos in Transit to help promote her work in transportation. Before working with the Authority, she worked on Metro’s D Line extension project.

WTS-Los Angeles and the Authority have a long history together. The Authority was named the LA chapter’s employer of the year in 2022 and the statewide employer of the year in 2023.

 

Staying Busy with Public Outreach Events

Fall is typically our busiest season for meeting people at events and getting them up to date on our project. This year we were busier than ever as we met with more than a thousand people. We can’t pick just one event to highlight, so here are a few.

Mobility 21 Summit, September 20
The California High-Speed Rail Authority and AECOM teamed up to host an interactive booth at the Mobility 21 Summit at Disneyland Hotel Resort, showcasing the future of high-speed rail in California. Visitors enjoyed a photo station featuring a backdrop of the Fresno Station rendering, complete with “I Will Ride” stickers as keepsakes, while AECOM’s chocolate-chip cookies were a hit. The booth offered pop-up train models, conductor hats, and informative displays, igniting lively conversations about the project’s progress and sustainable transportation. Authority staff connected with transportation professionals and attendees interested in learning more about upcoming opportunities, capturing the support for high-speed rail across California.

City of West Hollywood Mobility Expo, October 5
The California High-Speed Rail Authority volunteered to support Move LA at the West Hollywood Mobility Expo on October 5 in Plummer Park. Our team connected with more than 60 community members interested in California’s transit future. Attendees of all ages engaged with us at our table, exploring high-speed rail’s role in creating eco-friendly, efficient travel options statewide. Staff-favorite acai bowls from Kale Me Crazy kept the energy up, fueling engaging discussions and positive feedback. West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson attended and spoke to the crowd; Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers stopped by our booth to recognize Move LA’s contributions and highlight the city’s commitment to a connected, sustainable future. You can see photos from the event here.

Dia de los Muertos Celebration, October 19
The Authority’s Southern California team connected with more than 190 attendees at the Dia de los Muertos celebration at Gloria Grand Molina Park, where excitement for high-speed rail was clear. Conversations in English, Spanish, and Mandarin engaged visitors eager to hear project updates, many for the first time. Both young and older attendees showed enthusiasm, and the day included valuable exchanges: a local teacher interested in presentations, a workforce program coordinator inquiring about pre-apprenticeships, and civil engineers exploring partnerships. This vibrant event highlighted the Authority’s commitment to connecting with California’s diverse communities and their growing support for sustainable transit.

UCLA ITE 7th Annual Career Fair, October 22
The Authority joined UCLA’s seventh Annual Transportation Career Fair at Ackerman Union, connecting with students interested in shaping California’s transportation future. Aspiring civil engineers, urban planners, and public policy students visited our booth, where our staff shared insights into high-speed rail’s transformative role in sustainable transit. The conversations highlighted the enthusiasm and commitment of the next generation of transportation professionals to innovate and improve California’s infrastructure. This event showcased the collective efforts toward a more connected and sustainable future for all.

 

I Will Ride Hits Stride in SoCal

As we wrap up this year, we’re thrilled to share that I Will Ride has been rocking and rolling, bringing engaging opportunities and events to students across Southern California. Our program has grown tremendously, and we’re just getting started! With big plans lined up for 2025, we’re gearing up for an even more impactful year, focused on inspiring the next generation to explore exciting careers in transportation and infrastructure.

We’re committed to providing students with unique, hands-on experiences that connect them directly with industry professionals and future opportunities. From on-site presentations to interactive workshops, IWR is here to make learning about transportation careers accessible, engaging, and inspiring.

If you’re an educator or a student, or if you’re affiliated with an academic institution, we’d love for you to join us! By partnering with IWR, you can bring valuable insights and resources to your students, helping them envision themselves in dynamic roles within the transportation sector. Let’s work together to build the future of transportation, one student at a time.

Stay tuned for updates, and don’t hesitate to contact Information Officer Crystal Royval at crystal.royval@hsr.ca.gov if you’d like to get involved. Here’s to an incredible 2025!

 

Veteran Takes a Birds Eye View

Sheri Painter and her husband, Navy veteran Scott Painter, started their drone photography business about 10 years ago. In the early days of drone work, that meant clearing out a spare bedroom of their San Diego home. Birds Eye Aerial Drones was a two-person operation, with Scott flying the drone and Sheri handling the camera work on every flight.

Technology evolved, and so did Birds Eye, eventually employing about 150 people in Southern California from across the United States. Not every Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business is so fortunate. The Painters’ work with Birds Eye came naturally. After he retired from service, Scott worked as a drone contractor for the military in Afghanistan. And Sheri has lived around the industry her whole life. “My dad was a FedEx pilot,” she said. “He studied for training sessions with posters around the house that looked like the cockpit of his planes. There were flashcards and he had to call out steps in order and show where the switches and buttons are. I remember that. And Scott and I have been married a very long time, so it’s just part of my life.”

While Birds Eye hasn’t worked on the high-speed rail project yet, the company features prominently in Southern California infrastructure work, and Sheri serves as the Veterans in Business (VIB) Network representative on the Authority’s Business Advisory Council.

The Painters are working on a pilot program (no pun intended) with LA Metro, flying over all 367 miles of their right of way to capture images. Those pictures and data will be pulled onto Metro’s GIS map.

With dozens of employees and teams of workers in the field, Birds Eye has come a long way from the early days when the Painters used to build their own drones. “Birds Eye also has a robust flight operations department to help keep all our pilots flying safely and legally,” said Sheri.

Times change, and the Painters have changed to meet business needs. It can be complicated sometimes, and that’s why VIB’s work is important. In the military, personnel are used to following orders and being responsible for a single area of expertise. In business, veterans need to handle everything from marketing to human resources to the actual work at hand. The Painters and VIB have a new mission: helping veterans get their own business off the ground to win contracts.

“I enjoy seeing other veteran businesses doing the same,” Sheri said. “I love that VIB brings corporate and government partners that want to work with you. It’s a matter of having a solid support system like VIB, building both a solid business and the relationships.”

 

RSE Makes Transportation Improvements a Family Business

RSE isn’t a big company. You wouldn’t know that by the list of big-name projects they’ve worked on.

In Southern California, RSE has worked on the Blue Line for LA Metro and the Link Union Station project, as well as on-call work for Metrolink. With an office in Claremont, RSE has established itself as a one-stop shop for engineering services across the state.

As the high-speed rail project prepares to lay down tracks in the Central Valley, it makes sense RSE will be involved. President Phil Leong smiles when he talks about how far the company he founded nearly 20 years ago has come.

“The pride here is that even though we’re small, we’re able to step in and support the larger companies,” Leong said. “Larger companies bring a lot of experience, but we’re here locally, so we’re familiar with California. We know the people here who are using the train. We understand what people are looking for.”

The big companies are looking for RSE’s experience. Leong’s personal story informs his work as an engineer. He grew up in Hong Kong, where mass transit is favored over driving in cars. He’s ridden high-speed rail in Europe and China.

When he started RSE in the Bay Area nearly 20 years ago, he immediately brought his brother on board. He has a nephew who works in business development and another who works as a civil engineer.

What started as a family enterprise has blossomed into a registered Disadvantaged Business Enterprise that employs about 85 people. Their expertise and size have attracted some larger projects, Leong said.

“They recognized we’re small and we’re a smaller project team, so we can move fast,” Leong said. “They wanted to move quickly, wanted a smaller company that could put together a plan quickly, and that’s us.”

The track record speaks for itself. It makes sense, then, that RSE was chosen to help with the exciting steps of laying tracks and setting up the electric system for the initial operating segment in the Central Valley.

After all, RSE has already done this kind of work for the Authority.

When Caltrain moved to electrify its line in the Bay Area nearly a decade ago, Leong got the call to work on the project. That move paid off in the past few months as Caltrain started running all-electric trains from San Francisco to San Jose.

That project was partially funded by the Authority, which contributed $714 million — about 40 percent of the total cost — to the project.

With that work mostly done, Leong and RSE are turning their sites to the Central Valley, the next key component of the high-speed rail project. For a company that has helped build the transportation infrastructure of both Northern and Southern California, it’s the logical next step in RSE’s progression.

“I think there’s been a lot of hard work over the last 20 years, and also now we see a lot of fruits of our labor,” Leong said.

Upcoming Events

Here are upcoming events that you won’t want to miss!

TJPA’s Winterfest
December 6 to 8, 2024
Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco, California

Caltrain Holiday Train
December 7 to 8, 2024
Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, San Francisco County, California

Nueva Vida Community Posada
December 14, 2024
Gilroy, California

Roaring Camp Holiday Trains
Weekends in November through January
Santa Cruz, California

Quarterly Newsletter Archive

• Winter 2024 All Aboard Newsletter
• Fall 2023 All Aboard Newsletter
• Summer 2023 All Aboard Newsletter
• Spring 2023 All Aboard Newsletter
• Winter 2023 Quarterly Newsletter
• Fall 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
• Summer 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
• Spring 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
• Winter 2022 Quarterly Newsletter
• Fall 2021 Quarterly Newsletter
• Summer 2021 Quarterly Newsletter
• Regional Newsletter - May 2021
• Regional Newsletter - February 2021
• Regional Newsletter - November 2020
• Regional Newsletter - August 2020
• Regional Newsletter - June 2020
• Regional Newsletter - February 2020
• Regional Newsletter - November 2019
• Regional Newsletter - August 2019