New bullet train cuts travel time between northern and southern California in half

After two long years of planning and legal hurdles, California’s $68 billion bullet train is about to break ground. Work on the first leg of the system will get underway in Fresno on Tuesday.

Once finished, it will be the nation’s first high-speed rail system.

The train will be able to travel faster than a Ferrari at a whopping 220 miles per hour and will cut travel times between southern and northern California in half.

Diana Gomez with the High-Speed Rail Authority said the new electric rail system would help end congestion on crowded freeways. She also noted the new project would help improve local air quality. “Our goal is to have a train running from San Francisco to Los Angeles,” she said.

Construction of the rail system and its subsequent operation will also bring local jobs. “Our project is going to transform how we move around in the state,” said Gomez.

Governor Jerry Brown has been a vocal supporter of the project since the 1980s. He will be on site for Tuesday’s groundbreaking.