Bump in the track

The HSR has a flaw in its tracks. As detailed in the October 8th Fresno Bee article, one of Fresno's assistant staffers compiled a 37 page powerpoint to explain some problems with CA's HSR proposed line through Fresno to the City Council. Two of the Councilmen spilled their glasses of tasty HSRA Kool-Aid.

The fundamental questions are ignored even in this Bee article. The concept of illegitimacy to CA's HSR is due to its antiquated 100 year old technology. Society has grown in California over the past 100 years and a modern transportation system is the answer. Would it be reasonable to build one statewide telegraph line similar to what was provided in the late 1800s to bear all the needs of California's communication needs? Then why is that 1890's style electrified heavy rail steel wheel on rail train being suggested as a Statewide transportation system?

CA High Speed Rail EIR

Well, the California High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) environmental impact report (EIR) has been released. According to the original intent of the 1970’s California Legislative law which requires an EIR for every public project, an EIR is suppose to be no longer than 300 pages; in a effort to allow such document to be easily understandable. The new HSRA EIR is 11,000 pages long.

Without having read the EIR, this author; an expert in the New Technology Transit industry, would jump to the presumption that the words: “common sense” is a phrase never seen in the 11,000 page document. Other missing words to describe the document will be words such as: “viable”, “economical” or “affordable”.

government waste

This is a statement to address the recent COG (Fresno County Council of Governments; which handles all of Fresno County’s transportation funding) effort in its RFP (Request for Proposal) to study a sustainable transportation plan. The qualifications to produce such a study excluded the best opportunity to provide COG with a viable plan by only accepting requests from previous or traditional sources.

There is already a 250 page business plan by Central Transit & Development Corp (CTDC) to provide Central California with a viable transportation alternative from the automobile. For the City of Fresno and COG to continue their conscious effort to ignore CTDC’s project displays an irresponsible disservice to the residents of Central California.

Legislators in the State of California have initiated environmental mandates to each MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization: COG is the regional MPO) that creates a sustainable communities strategy (SCS) within the MPO’s regional transportation plan (RTP).

The CTDC plan was established to adapt the existing automobile centric urban land-use design to an economically viable automobile alternative. The CTDC business plan utilizes a New Technology Transit system that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. For the City of Fresno and COG to continually ignore the CTDC plan that includes a viably sustainable transportation and urban growth plan that provides economic stability and social equity shows a level of governmental ineptness that is beyond comprehension. COG’s response to the CTDC plan is to solicit one of the established consultant groups and give them $250,000 to provide COG with a study that is supposed to give them an idea of how to achieve a SCS utilizing the same techniques that the consultants have used to get us to where we are.

CTDC has taken a position of responsible development with its approach to provide social equity, environmental justice, and economic stability. This combination has staggered the bureaucratic procedure into unprecedented shock. It is unheard of for a private entity to include social equity into a development that benefits the community. There is no procedure for a private entity to provide a contemporary environmental solution that includes building a sustainable transportation system. It is unprecedented for a development project to establish a viable local economic generator capable of stimulating the regional economy through the nature of its project. The CTDC project is such a startling concept to the bureaucratic process they are dumbfound into a reaction of disbelief because it is outside of their procedure.

an analysis of bureaucratic policy

Generally people don't like change. They might entertain the word change (as witnessed by the past presidential election) but, everything virtually remains the same. Generally, people don't like to change anything.

Traditionally, over the past 80 years, all transportation infrastructure has been government orchestrated. The result of government involvement is like an intrusion to implement bloated dysfunction. An example is represented by the horrible condition of California roads. The economy is a disaster due to government intrusion. In addition to high taxes are additional specialized fees that are forced on businesses strictly for the purpose of collecting fees to support a regulatory body whose only function is to collect a fee. Those government offices are filled with government employees who know nothing about the businesses they regulate. The same is true with urban planning but, some of these policies are implemented by politics. Much of transportation has little to do with mobility but, is generally dictated by political favor.

mismanaged

The recent reports which suggest the HSRA be put under the direction of Caltrans provides another chance to play follow the money. Who gains with the shift in transferring responsibility from one government agency to another? The answer: the engineering consultants and no one else. What group has been at the forefront in receiving all of the money allocated so far in the HSR project? The answer: the engineering consultant companies. One might draw the conclusion that the engaged engineering consultant companies are politically connected.

To analytically look at what is going on with CA's HSR, take a look at what is taking place. There are law suits in play and other looming lawsuits which threaten timing of the current EIR procedure. The project has to be shovel ready in 2012 to receive designated federal dollars. The constant shift of alleged track alignments has diverted the release of an EIR. Any law suits could possibly further delay EIR entitlements with the fear of the State loosing HSR federal dollars.

What would an agency transfer of the proposed HSR project mean? Most likely it would mean that the engineering consultants receive new contracts from a different agency and continue receiving their income to continue their studies. It means politics as usual and maintains the status-quo.

other editorials

All is not rosy for the CA HSR marketing push. The LA Times doesn't appear to like the direction of the CA HSRA. The May 16th LA Times editorial doesn't give California's HSR much praise; now for the LA Times Editorial board to embrace private sector funding to build New Technology Transit.

May 2011 Legislative Analyst’s Office report

The Wednesday (May 11,2011) Sacramento Bee article by Dan Walters points out, the Legislature’s budget analyst finds more flaws in the faltered CA HSRA plan on Tuesday. On Wednesday a “peer review” committee is due to announce similar criticisms to a special State committee overlooking the project.

Meanwhile, the $millions spent on PR/marketing to the Fresno government and politically connected has convinced them that the HSR is a valid project as they work feverishly to move it forward at a desperate pace. The marketers successfully lead the un-knowledgeable that $5billion will buy Central California a statewide train. The Fresno government officials were never told by the PR firm the fundamentals of math. $5billion divided by $70million per mile equals 71.4 miles. Yes, the newest feasibility contract awarded to URS will find an at-grade electrified heavy rail track costs less than half of the $150million per mile elevated track. How many millions of dollars was spent in the new URS contract to figure this out, another $10million?

The important thing for the HSRA is to make sure as much as possible is spent quickly before the federal dollars might disappear. They should award contracts to study new routes, elevated options, at grade route and even sub grade options. At least the upper lever execs can justify nice bonuses and the share holders of URS can make a tidy profit to help contribute to the next election cycle. The citizens of CA are able to at least then feel important to have made a contribution to the circle of status-quo.