California high-speed rail authority OKs funds for Central Valley segment

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) board on Tuesday approved $3.2 billion in funding for two segments of the planned San Francisco-to-Los Angeles rail system.

The board allocated $2.6 billion for the 119-mile Central Valley segment, which runs from Madera to Shafter, Calif. The remaining $600 million will go toward electrifying and modernizing the Caltrain system between San Francisco and San Jose. 

The improvements on the Caltrain system will provide the "necessary foundational improvements" for CHSRA to run high-speed rail service into San Francisco, according to a board summary on the funding plan.

The funding will come from revenue generated through Prop 1A, which California voters approved in 2008.