[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]From the Los Angeles Times:
“The Los Angeles to San Francisco bullet train is headed for new federal and state scrutiny following disclosure that the project’s lead contractor forecast significant cost increases that were not made public.”
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-bullet-train-cost-follow-20151126-story.html
All I have to say is:
Finally.
Is it me, or is this bullet train concept perhaps one of the most stupid, most environmentally questionable, most fiscally irresponsible plans this state has ever attempted to put into motion?
Okay, I get it. We voted for it, right?
I’m not sure we voted for a cost now double initial projections of $68 billion, in itself now considered questionable, unreliable and grossly underestimated.
I’m not sure we voted to “punch” 36 miles of tunnels through “geologically complex mountains” north of Los Angeles.
As reported in an earlier, stunning LA Times article:
“Crews will have to cross the tectonic boundary that separates the North American and Pacific plates, boring through a jumble of fractured rock formations and a maze of earthquake faults, some of which are not mapped.”
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-cost-final-20151025-story.html
I mean, are you kidding me?
The project is already years behind schedule, is having difficulty with land acquisition, is facing multiple lawsuits.
Industry experts source multiple high-speed rail projects throughout the world that all have experienced a 45%-100% cost growth.
All of this…
…FOR WHAT??????
For a high speed rail from Burbank to Merced?
Burbank, which is 30 minutes from Downtown LA on the best of days, and inconvenient to anyone else living south of the 110 and Figueroa.
Merced, which is a 2 1/2 hour drive to San Francisco.
So if I live in, say, Irvine, and want to go up north for a weekend getaway, I’m going to have to drive an hour and a half to Burbank, sit on the train for a couple of hours, then rent a car and drive 2 1/2 hours to get to San Francisco?
I mean, quite frankly, just getting in my car and driving is probably going to be easier, and if I feel like splurging, I’ll do it the old fashioned way and just hop on a flight for 45 minutes.
Oh, I know, Burbank to Merced is just phase 1. And when that’s completed after multiple years of delays, they’ll get around to extensions into more convenient city centers. Right.
But what good possibly comes out of this?
I suppose the train will offer an alternative convenient service for business commuters.
If the Raiders end up playing in Carson, this will be a way for fans up north to start their drinking early.
But this project will never break even. It will never see a profit.
It is completely irresponsible.
It is a complete waste.
And quite frankly, it’s dangerous.
If California has $68 billion + to spend with such reckless abandon, how on earth are we not able to appropriate $1 billion to fix an awful road and street infrastructure in LA county?
How do we not have $1 billion to infuse into our education system?
Why are we not putting $1 billion into, oh I don’t know, desalinization systems that can help our drought problem?
Please, California, put this project out of its misery.
It reeks of corruption.
It could have devastating environmental consequences.
It does nothing to improve anything.
We don’t have the money for it.
We most certainly did not vote for this.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]