Downtown Merced business owners anxious over proposed delay to high speed rail
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- California rail officials propose rerouting high-speed line to bypass Merced
- Downtown Merced businesses fear economic loss if station is postponed
- Hotel and retail owners cite tourism, growth plans tied to expected rail stop
Some business owners in downtown Merced said they were disappointed and left uncertain after a recent state report suggested high-speed rail stop in Merced would be delayed.
“We need the tourism,” said Janet Taylor, director of sales for the El Capitan hotel on Main Street which also operates two restaurants and a theater on the same block. She added that the hotel was anticipating and budgeting for increased demand because of the Merced station.
The report from the California High-Speed Rail Authority shows the extension of the route between Merced and Bakersfield would not pay for its full operating costs.
A recent report by the California High-Speed Rail Authority suggesting a delay to a bullet-train stop in Merced has some downtown business owners disappointed and uncertain.
Instead, the Rail Authority proposes routing the line from Madera to Gilroy, prioritizing routes to San Francisco and Los Angeles where larger populations would presumably result in greater ridership and profit. Budget projections show the route’s revenue would not cover its full operating cost. Instead, the Rail Authority proposes routing the line from Madera to Gilroy, prioritizing routes to San Francisco and Los Angeles where larger populations would presumably result in greater ridership and profit
.The city of Merced has already begun a Station Area Plan with the goal of reshaping and revitalizing downtown. Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto has expressed concern over Merced losing out after years of planning and development.
Taylor, who works with international tour groups, said they were excited about using high-speed rail as an environmentally friendly way to travel to Merced and Yosemite.
José Nava, owner of Lety’s Decorations Inc. at 35 W Main Street said he thinks a stop in Merced would probably bring more business to the area. Nava said he hasn’t made any concrete plans for expansion yet, but that he hopes the Rail Authority will make “good on their promise [to]... bring it through town.”
Some business owners seem to have given up on the high-speed rail altogether, including Travis Strang, owner of Tigers and Daggers Records on Main Street says, “I just don’t think it’s going to happen.
This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 2:58 PM.
