10 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:33 UTC · updated Fri, 30 Oct 2026 19:05 UTC
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri resigned late Wednesday, citing personal and family priorities, with his resignation taking effect immediately according to board chair Steve Kawa. Choudri's departure follows a two-year tenure marked by budget issues, project delays, transparency concerns, and the misuse of nearly $600,000 in taxpayer funds by consultants, some trips linked to his requests. The board announced Joe Stephenshaw, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022, will replace him.
Under Choudri, the agency lost $4 billion in federal funding after missing deadlines to procure trains, and a lawsuit against the Trump administration was dropped in December 2025. The board had recently limited Choudri’s contracting authority and was considering further disciplinary action. The high-speed rail project, approved in 2008 with a $10 billion bond, now has an estimated cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with completion expected by 2040. The Central Valley segment is now projected to finish by 2034 at a cost exceeding $40 billion, and the agency may run out of cash by December 2027, according to the inspector general.
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