(California) High-speed train project to receive at least $731 million in federal funds

[Frank Booth]

Source: LA Times

The California high-speed train project will receive at least $731 million from a $902-million grant the federal government awarded on Monday for rail improvements across the state.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, $715 million will help pay for the design and construction of a section of the planned bullet train in the Central Valley. An additional $16 million was earmarked for the high-speed rail corridor between San Francisco and San Jose.

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The grant represents the second major installment the high-speed rail proposal has received from the federal government this year. In January, the plan to connect Southern California to the Bay Area via the Central Valley received $2.25 billion made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-high-speed-money-20101026,0,2836476.story

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I can't believe it, but it looks like the bullet train from Southern to Northern California will actually happen.

Now, if they could just expand the metro to Santa Monica....

[boppers]

1. "help pay"....

$715 million is *nothing* in terms of a project on this scale, but hey, don't worry, California's coffers can cover the rest!

Wait, what's that? Why are you laughing at me?

[Frank Booth]

4. That's in addition to $2 billion+ the state got earlier this year,

the state already approved a $10 billion bond sale two years ago, and Japan, China and possibly European companies are bidding to invest billions in the project. If the will is there, the financing will be there.

[xchrom]

2. That is awesome. Cali wants and need that train. Nt

[Hulk]

3. Now you have to go ask fiorina and witman for the matching funds...

GL on pulling ANYTHING from these repukkke "no-new-taxes" clones. They would prefer to have everyone (but themselves, of course) move into caves and resort to walking only if they had their way. NO NEW TAXES!! Read my lips....lol.

[Throd]

5. I don't think it will ever become a reality.

It will more likely be a giant boondoggle. Our version of the "Big Dig". I support the concept in theory, but I'm afraid the reality will be something else entirely.

[denbot]

6. I would like to live long enough to see a highspeed rail from San Diego to San Francisco

I'll settle to see the Metro Purple Line go from Wilshire & Western to the Santa Monica's pier.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. From San Diego to Vancouver(BC) for me.

[Toucano]

7. Hmmm. Aren't there more rail users in the northeast corridor?

I find it odd to build it in California...

[Frank Booth]

9. A big part of the reason is that taking the train isn't really an option now since getting

from LA to San Francisco takes a full day. This would cut the time to 2 1/2 hours. That's really not much longer than flying, and when you consider avoiding the hassle of LAX or SFO the high speed line should be extremely popular.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Is the demand really there? I just don't see it

LA to Las Vegas, maybe. Improve LA and Bay Area mass transit would seem like a wiser investment to me.

[JDPriestly]

14. Trains are so, so, so, so much more comfortable than planes.

I'll take a train any day. Problem is at this time the train tickets are too expensive. They cost more than the gas. And you cannot get directly from L.A. to San Francisco on a train. You have to take a bus for part of the distance.

I'm all for the fast rail. We really need it. We need to get cars off the I-5.

[aquart]

13. The overpopulated Northeast Corridor?

Whose land you gonna take to build it? I say, run it through ever millionaire's town like Ridgefield. Their lots are wide enough so that a minimum of actual homes will be displaced.

[diane in sf]

8. This would be much better than getting on a plane to go to LA or San Diego.

I think it should go to Santa Rosa and then to Sacramento or split at SF and go to both places.

[scribble]

10. This is NOT a good idea ...

I wish it were, but it isn't.

The train doesn't go anywhere that people can get to easily. It doesn't go anywhere that people need to go. It costs too much to build. It will cost WAY too much to ride. It won't really create many jobs.

735 million dollars can directly create about 8500 jobs for one year. We should create those jobs in local industries that will spend money creating still more jobs.

By the time it starts carrying passengers at maybe $100 (and stranding them dozens of miles from their destinations), we will have hybrid cars that can make the two-way trip for $45, and carry drivers and passengers directly to wherever they need to be. Without much better planning, we are wasting our money.

sc

[Life Long Dem]

11. Is California a country within itself?

How about expanding to Vegas and or to Salt Lake City? Zing!

[DerBeppo]

16. Native American Casinos

would never allow a train from LA to Vegas.

[scribble]

17. This is a better idea ...

.. we should connect destinations that people actually want to go to. I think SLC is too far away, but Las Vegas probably would work. The problem with SF-LA, is that both urban areas are so spread out, that this train would strand passengers dozens of miles from their destinations.

We need LOCAL public transportation, and we need to start by zoning commercial corridors that let us concentrate public services like bus service and light rail. People would use local transportation if it were quick, inexpensive, safe and clean, and carried package cargo as well. A regional train is a waste of money until LOCAL transportation is in place and is successful.

sc

[SKKY]

18. Of course, if they legalize Mary Jane...

...this will be a pittance of what they'll be able to collect in taxes.