More Articles Today About HSR

Another article from The Fresno Bee, July 11,2012, explains one of the on-going lawsuits.  It states: "The Legislature cannot approve a project that violates the law passed by the voters."  According to what voters approved, the proposed HSR project would cost $43 billion.  

After much controversy, in 2011 the HSRA reevaluated its costs to an extremely conservative amount of $98 billion.  Due to that unpopular amount, it became politically advantageous to lower the cost, so Governor Brown made a political declaration and changed the cost projection to a lower amount.

The 'blended' track has always been a contention to the proposed HSR system since the mid 90s.  The original intent of the High Speed Rail Commission was to analyze magnetic levitation technology along with steel wheel on rail.  Their conclusion was that the steel wheeled technology would cost $23 billion and the maglev technology system would cost $27 billion. 

The Commission sunsetted in the late 90s and the Authority was formed.  The political effort excluded maglev technology and began arguing about routes from LA to SF.  It has since been revealed that the realistic costs of steel wheel on rail is $70 million per mile.         

The 'blended' system utilizes existing electrified track with trains traveling a maximum of 70mph.  Many of these existing train track rights-of-ways were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  While Governor Brown is correct to suggest California needs a statewide train system, this blended technology has nothing to do with what the voters approved with HSR.

There is merit to the lawsuits.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/07/11/2905096/new-bullet-train-plan-mangled.html#storylink=cpy

Consequences

Less than a week after CA's Legislators voted to shift the meaning of the 1A bonds, The Fresno Bee, July 11, 2012 explains one of the first consequences of Fresno's support for the proposed project.  All the businesses being ripped out to provide rights-of-ways to the proposed HSR currently provide $2.8 million in tax revenue to the city.  In a time of tight budgets, where else is the city of Fresno going to receive nearly $3million of revenue.  A comical statement says the revenue loss is temporary; is that saying the businesses are going to be rebuilt, where: certainly not in the existing rights-of-ways pathway of the proposed HSR which is creating the losses.

WIn-win projects are beneficial for all parties.  The current version of the proposed HSR is a win for the involved consultants, engineering organizations, contractors and labor force; unfortunately everyone else looses.  

Legislative vote

CA legislature passed in the Assembly and July 6th in the State Senate with a 21 - 16 vote to approve using the 1A bond funds to be used for the proposed HSR.

Let the lawsuits begin.