California To Break Ground On Bullet-Train In January

FRESNO (AP) — After many setbacks, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has announced it will officially break ground on construction of its statewide bullet-train route next month in Fresno.

The authority didn't say where in Fresno the Jan. 6 groundbreaking ceremony announced Friday will be held.

The announcement comes 20 months after the authority awarded the joint venture Tutor Perini/Zachry/Parsons a $1 billion contract to build the initial link from Madera to Fresno.

Voters approved issuing $10 billion in bonds for the project in 2008. Officials hoped to break ground last summer on what would be the nation's first high-speed rail system, but public support has dwindled in recent years as the project's costs have soared.

California