If this election year had found me in California and you happened to be within earshot you would already be sick of hearing me talk about this. But as an ex-patriate and defector I find myself just tracking from afar.
In a democracy, however, it is important to spark debate and so it is with great pride that I heft upon you the wonders of the California High Speed Rail Blog.
To get a feel for a typical article this one (in recent memory) serves as a good overview California High Speed Rail Blog: Menlo Park Wants To Decide For California Whether We Have HSR
“Menlo Park in particular also seems interested in ignoring the fundamental reality that they are, and have always been, a railroad city. The tracks that currently carry Caltrain cars have been there since before the city was founded. Caltrain runs nearly 100 trains through Menlo Park and Atherton every day. But city staff and elected officials behave as if that doesnt exist”
Basically this blog’s main purpose is to support and refute criticism over the proposed California High Speed Rail which all you cali-coes should be voting for in November. As a blog it also does a fairly good job at being a sort of watch-dog organization. The above posted article is an example of how the writer is able to criticize and undermine bias in the media coverage of the proposal.
Anyway I believe in deciding things for yourself but if I could influence any votes this year it would be for this project!
There is an enormous amount of faith-based decision making supporting this rail project. It’s the miracle train that will solve all of California’s problems. Their brochures are hyperbolic sales documents that spell out what they will accomplish. And, all it will cost us is $10 billion. And no more! The late-night TV infomercials are more honest than that!
The blogosphere promoters are using Karl Rove tactics to smear those who oppose the train. One blogger calls us “deniers.” It sounds like we are heretics or apostates and this is the only true religion, like Islam.
So, let me ask you; if you were a Venture Capitalist representative, would you lend somebody $10 billion if they had no budget or business plan or other investors already signed up? And, what if they had no risk analysis or “Plan B;” that is, what if those anticipated other funds from the feds. and private investors don’t materialize? Then what?
Or, do you believe that the state (and therefore taxpayers) should throw an open-ended amount of money at this train because it is such a great idea and someday, after we’re all dead, the world will thank us?
I did not mean to argue that critics of the HSR project are merely ignorant “heretics” nor do I think the points brought up in the article I linked to are in this vain. What the article points out — and rightly so — is that the nimbyism present at the town hall meeting completely ignores the facts and the history of the peninsula towns in question as being both traditionally and to-this-day rail towns. It’s not pure ignorance but it is short-sighted to say that high speed rail would have more of an impact on the town than the dozens of trains that currently pass through on the existing right of way.
If anything High Speed Rail with its electric power and mandated grade-crossings would actually prove to be less obtrusive than the current diesel-based, at-grade Caltrain.
I grew up in Stockton and anyone familiar with that town will attest to its conservative values and the sort of pro-big business, anti-government libertarianism present there. I’ve never, growing up, merely written off conflicting viewpoints by name-calling — though I thank you for labeling me part of the “blogosphere” (what a horrible term) .. heh.
The reality is that for California to sustain future growth itâs going to need to get more people out of cars. I’ve seen what rampant growth and do-nothing nimbyism can do to a community when Stockton was named among the top ten cities most ravaged by foreclosure rates. Sprawl has to be stopped.
Thankfully there is a will in California for a new kind of sustainable development that has strong support in Sacramento and many communities up and down the coast. Whatâs needed for these kinds of initiatives to fare is a backbone (yes there is a larger post here and I havenât had the patience or time to write it yet).
What high speed rail in California provides is just that sort of backbone. Look at ridership on the three main core lines for the state’s existing rail corridors. Itâs been consistently rising year after year but compare that to intercity travel in general and youâll notice some big gaps. While Highways and Airports are choked they at least provide seamless transportation between Northern and Southern California and between major city centers.
What high speed rail will address is exactly the deficiencies in intercity rail in California namely and most prominently the link between Southern California and cities to the North through the Tehachapi Pass. Even Amtrak California in their long term plans for passenger rail in California notes the reliance on CAHSR to get this project completed.
San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco even Frenso all have long term plans enhancing transit oriented development around the proposed stations banking on the future of HSR. Los Angeles and Orange Counties also have as part of their airport improvements greater connectivity with transit. If youâre saying HSR is a boondoggle or a pie in the sky idea look at the projects. Solid, real financing and planning with an ear towards interconnectivity with CAHSR.
The major hold back for passenger rail expansion in California has been the stranglehold Union Pacific has had on right of way. The CAHSR project addresses this directly. Donât tell me that electrification, grade-separation and modernization of an entire stretch of right of way between the two biggest population centers (not to mention shipping centers) in the state wont spark a bit of interest from UP especially since HSR attempts when possible to integrate into existing rail networks. Just look at the Alameda Cooridor. This time it wont be the state having to lease ROW from private industry but the opposite.
The reality is that change is happening in California, real progress and investment and planning is already being made its a question of whether the voters are willing to give that investment support. High Speed Rail connects the dots for Californiaâs future and the âplan Bâ? solution of doing nothing will just leave cities more congested, airports more choked and sprawl inevitable.