Beginning in the 1970s, California鈥檚 leaders started to envision a way to connect the dense, urban coastal areas of the Bay Area and Southern California with the San Joaquin Valley via high-speed rail. and the vision it can help the state achieve. A fast connection between the San Joaquin Valley and the coast could create significant economic growth to uplift cities along the route. An electrified train could help address air pollution in a region with some of the worst air quality in the country and create a clean way to travel across the state. In 2008, California voters agreed to devote approximately $9.95 billion to develop a high-speed rail system that would connect the agricultural communities of
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