A new analytical report prepared for state lawmakers has raised concerns that the California High-Speed Rail Authority omitted details about its intent to relocate its future Central Valley stations from the draft of its latest business plan, a document meant to help legislators make decisions about the project.
The draft plan, released in late February, spells out the rail authority’s path to the completion and operation of its initial 171-mile Merced-to-Bakersfield segment by 2033 with a potential cost of $34.76 billion.
But the report released Monday by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) says the rail authority’s plan “lacks transparency” and is less useful to lawmakers because it’s based on assumptions that the downtown Merced and Bakersfield station locations will change — though it doesn’t explicitly state those proposed changes or specify the costs they would carry…