June 2023 I Will Ride Update
Hello I Will Riders!
As we head into the dryer months of the summer season, we have some exciting news to share, including I Will Ride’s launch of the #HotRailSummer social media campaign! We’ll also talk about the Authority’s efforts to highlight Pride Month, construction tours, and as always, job and scholarship opportunities for you to plug into. You won’t want to miss out, so read below for more information!
California High-Speed Rail Receives New Federal Grant from FRA
Earlier this week, the Authority was excited to welcome Jennifer Mitchel, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to Fresno to announce a new federal grant. The Authority has received $20 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program for the Fresno High-Speed Rail Station Historic Depot Renovation and Plaza Activation Project. These funds will be utilized to restore the historic train depot building in downtown Fresno as well as create a park space near the future high-speed rail station and for creating zero emission vehicle infrastructure. The Authority was one of 162 projects nationwide to receive a RAISE grant intended to improve safety, increase economic development and support historically disadvantaged regions. Elected representatives from the region also joined the press conference to celebrate and acknowledge the historic investment into downtown Fresno.
A #HotRailSummer at High-Speed Rail!
Are you ready for a #HotRailSummer? This summer, the I Will Ride Program is overseeing an exciting wave of student events at the Authority! Our goal with the #HotRailSummer campaign is to spread the fun and showcase our efforts in linking students to jobs and opportunities on the nation’s first high-speed rail project! Be on the lookout for our posts of student events with the #HotRailSummer graphic, and make sure to tag us on social media in your transit-oriented photos with the hashtag #HotRailSummer.
California High-Speed Rail Authority Celebrates Pride
This month, the Authority celebrated Pride Month by highlighting some of our LGBTQ+ staff and their stories. Information Officer Katta Hules shared her connection with Pride month and discussed how to become educated on LGBTQ+ issues. Community Outreach Specialist Jean-Paul Torres shared what this month means to him, stating that he appreciates and embraces both biological and chosen family he is a part of that allows him to be the best version he can be. We also were excited to join Caltrain in welcoming Pride trains to San Francisco’s 4th and Kings Station. Take a look at our Instagram Reel that shows all the fun!
Executive Fellowship Program Cohort Tours Central Valley Construction
Through the Authority’s long-standing partnership with the Capital Fellows Program, the 2022/2023 cohort of Executive Fellows took a tour of the high-speed rail construction sites in the Central Valley earlier this month. The Executive Fellows Program is a public policy fellowship program that allows graduate students to engage with executive state agencies. Throughout the tour, the Fellows learned about the policy that has shaped the high-speed rail project, local investments from the Authority, sustainable elements of the project. The Fellows also had the opportunity to tour the Cedar and San Joaquin River Viaducts.
Capital Fellows Link – https://www.csus.edu/center/center-california-studies/capital-fellows/
Authority CEO Talks HSR at 2023 APTA Rail Conference
Earlier this month, the Authority’s CEO Brian Kelly traveled to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to attend the 2023 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Rail Conference. During this conference, CEO Kelly gave a presentation on the high-speed rail project and opportunities to connect to regional transit to ensure that high-speed rail becomes the clean transit backbone to the California State Rail Plan. CEO Kelly, also sat on a panel, along with representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, and Brightline, to discuss the historic levels of funding allocated to rail projects throughout the country, paving the way for opportunity for clean, efficient, and transformative rail. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. The organization has been a longstanding partner of the Authority, and we were delighted to receive another invitation to their annual rail conference!
Southern California High-Speed Rail Animations Through Tehachapi Mountain Range
This month, the Authority released a fascinating new animation of the alignment through the Tehachapi Mountain Range, linking Bakersfield to Palmdale. The Bakersfield to Palmdale project section connects the Central Valley to the Antelope Valley, closing the existing passenger rail gap over the Tehachapi Mountains. This section is significant because it includes some of the most complicated terrain along the statewide system, requiring innovative engineering. When in operation, this section will result in an approximate 25-minute high-speed rail trip from Bakersfield to Palmdale!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaHSRA/status/1669827189582299137?s=20
More Renderings and Animations: https://ow.ly/U9Yv50OQTvU
#WonkWednesday Highlights Caltrain Electrification Investment
This month, the Authority dedicated its #WonkWednesday social media campaign to highlight one of our regional connectivity projects – the Caltrain Electrification in NorCal. Part of the NorCal high-speed rail project section includes 43 miles from San Francisco to San Jose of shared corridor between high-speed rail and Caltrain. The high-speed rail and Caltrain systems will run alongside each other on upgraded, shared electrified tracks. Caltrain is exploring expanding the electrified service all the way down to Gilroy. Investing in Caltrain is an investment in future high-speed rail infrastructure and needed rail infostructure that will be used in the near future. Electrified rail will reduce environmental impacts, noise and greenhouse gas emissions, while improving air quality and mobility!
Button: See the #WonkWednesday
Representative Nancy Pelosi Emphasizes Need for Clean Green HSR
In an opinion editorial, Congresswoman and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emphasizes the need for a clean, efficient and safe high-speed rail system in the U.S. Pelosi highlights the pioneering work of California in this mobility transportation and discusses global examples of high-speed rail innovation.
CONTACT
Communications and Media Relations
(916) 322-1422
news@hsr.ca.gov
Privacy Officer
(916) 324-1541
privacyofficer@hsr.ca.gov
TRANSLATION
For consultation and/or translation support, call (916) 324-1541 or email info@hsr.ca.gov.
For TTY/TTD assistance, call (800) 881-5799 or the California Relay Service at 711.
California High-Speed Rail Authority Student Assistant – Sacramento, CA
The Student Assistant (SA) will assist with the High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) comprehensive media, public records, and communications programs. In addition to assisting with research and technical work related to departmental responses to records requests received pursuant to the California Public Records Act (PRA), the SA will also assist with the development of informational materials for dissemination to the media, stakeholders, and public regarding the activities and objectives of the California high-speed rail program.
Learn more and apply: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=350720
California High-Speed Rail Authority Student Assistant – Sacramento, CA
The Student Assistant (SA) will support the Selections, Certification and Support team and the Human Resources (HR) Section by assisting with various assignments related to Human Resources (HR) such as, monitoring shared mailboxes, spreadsheet tracking and maintenance, electronic filing and organization, data entry, logging and clean-up.
Learn more and apply: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=378144
California Transportation Foundation
The California Transportation Foundation’s (CTF) mission is to educate the future of the transportation profession through scholarships, educational programs, mentoring, and internships. To learn more about the various scholarship opportunities offered by CTF make sure to check out their website linked below.
Learn more and apply: https://www.the-ctf.org/scholarships
WTS Los Angeles Scholarship
WTS-LA is a leader in supporting and mentoring the next generation of transportation professionals in Southern California. For more than three decades, they have awarded scholarships to deserving women entering the transportation field. The scholarships are competitive, and applications are evaluated on the following criteria: transportation career goals; academic record, including curriculum and grades; commitment to transportation, as demonstrated by extracurricular activities and/or work experience; writing skills; and recommendations. WTS LA offers scholarships for high school, community college/trade school, and undergraduate and graduate university students.
Learn more and apply: https://www.wtsinternational.org/chapters/los-angeles/scholarships
Young Professionals in Infrastructure (YPI) “Building the Future” Grant
YPI is a nonprofit that fosters growth and development of young professionals in the infrastructure field through conferences, workshops, networking socials, university lectures and exclusive initiatives. The YPI grant is for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the infrastructure industry. Selected students will receive free membership to YPI and be eligible for an award of up to $2,500.
Applications Deadline: July 1, 2023
Learn more and apply: https://ypinfrastructure.com/young-professionals-in-infrastructure-2023-fellowship-program/
WTS Orange County
To encourage women pursuing careers in transportation, Women’s Transportation Seminar – Orange County (WTS-OC) will be offering high school, community college, undergraduate, and graduate scholarships to women throughout Southern California. In 2022, WTS-OC awarded 11 scholarships for a total of $50,000.
Applications are due no later than 5:00pm PST on Friday, August 4, 2023, and may be submitted online or sent as a single PDF document to wtsocscholarship@gmail.com.
Learn more and apply: https://www.wtsorangecounty.org/scholarships
| Stay Connected |
Are you a student that wants to learn more about the California high-speed rail project, tour construction or join the project as a fellow or intern? Don’t miss any important updates, opportunities or notifications when you sign up for I Will Ride! Sign-Up for I Will RideThe California High-Speed Rail Authority makes every effort to ensure the website and its contents meet mandated ADA requirements as per the California State mandated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA standard. If you are looking for a particular document not located on the California High-Speed Rail Authority website, you may make a request for the document under the Public Records Act through the Public Records Act page. If you have any questions about the website or its contents, please contact the Authority at info@hsr.ca.gov.