Merced officials said they were “blindsided” after the California High-Speed Rail Authority proposed delaying the opening of service in Merced to prioritize more populated areas, including the Bay Area.
Representatives from both the city and county of Merced said they were disappointed after learning about the proposal from news reports rather than the High-Speed Rail Authority itself, they said at a Thursday meeting of the High-Speed Rail Authority board.
“We felt blindsided,” said Frank Quintero, Merced’s deputy city manager. “As a partner, Merced felt abandoned. No communication or courtesy heads-up was provided by High-Speed Rail.”…