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Today, Representatives Devin Nunes (CA-21), Kevin McCarthy (CA-22), and Jeff Denham (CA-19) introduced legislation that would empower California state leaders to make sweeping investments to State Route 99.

The legislation, titled the San Joaquin Valley Transportation Enhancement Act, would allow the State of California to redirect federal high speed rail funding to finance long overdue and urgently needed roadway improvements along the State Route 99 corridor.

If state and local leaders choose to support this proposal, they will have sufficient funding to establish a six-lane freeway from Sacramento to Bakersfield while vastly improving the heavily congested corridor’s safety and enhancing the region’s air quality.

“The ever-escalating costs of California’s high-speed rail project need to be controlled. We are in no place to spend recklessly,” said Rep. Jeff Denham. “Until the rail project is better managed, local leaders should support this bill that uses the funds they already have to fix SR 99, and put people back to work immediately.”  

“State Route 99 – one of California’s most seriously congested and under-funded highways – is in need of major infrastructure improvements. Given the enormous uncertainty associated with the high-speed rail project, it seems prudent to give the state the option to re-direct federal funding to fix SR 99,” said Rep. Nunes. “Ultimately, state and local leaders will have to decide, but this option should be supported by all involved.”

The economic and environmental benefits of SR 99 improvements are contrasted by the uncertainty of our state’s now infamous bullet train, which the national media has described as the “bullet train to nowhere”. At this time, California is poised to spend $58 billion – using ultra conservative state estimates – on the current high-speed rail project. The final price tag is likely to exceed the combined federal highway spending in California for the 50 years from 1957-2007.

In addition, a host of independent watchdog groups and government accountability agencies have questioned the viability of California High Speed Rail. Given these questions, Valley Republicans believe California should have the ability to transfer all or a portion of the federal high-speed rail funding to SR 99.