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Re: ACE extension compromise and HSR.....?
Author: BOB2
Date: 04-08-2017 - 10:07
The "compromise" over extension of rail service to Ceres and Modesto, will potentially give the "pieces" of "stranded" HSR segments a way to connect to the Bay via Altamont, when the CHSRA finally runs out of money for more work in the Valley.
The next toll funded freeway project for CA may be the High Desert Corridor (I-15 in Victoville, to SR 14 near Palmdale Airport, to I-5 at the Grapevine/Tejon split. From Palmdale to Victorville this includes a ROW for extension of Las Vegas/Victoville 250 kph. HSR to connect to Metrolink and/or eventual HSR from Palmdale to LAUPT.
Yes, it is costly and sticks it to the auto user, while letting trucks skate..... No, even if the HSR fiasco, wasn't wasting a good part of the 13 billion, thus far committed, it is not nearly enough to fund the 150 billion in needed road repairs in CA, and this only pays for about a third of that.
The funding for Local and State the huge state maintenance/replace/upgrade of streets, highways, bridges, and freeways will eat up most of this increase. The recent work on the I-210 is an example of a project where they began to rehab the freeway, and discovered that the roadway was almost totally destroyed under most of the outside lanes, and had to be totally rebuilt and all concrete completely replaced. Bad design for ground water back in the 60's, and trucks that are now nearly double the axle loadings had done significantly more damage than had been expected..... Unfortunately, this small example of why failure to upgrade and maintain these roadways, and our failure to properly fund these, results in vastly increased project schedules and costs.
It is too bad that though this also raises diesel taxes for truckers, it still "sticks" the auto owner with much of the cost of the repairs, for the much more extensive damage and degradation of our freeways and streets done by trucks.
The next toll funded freeway project for CA may be the High Desert Corridor (I-15 in Victoville, to SR 14 near Palmdale Airport, to I-5 at the Grapevine/Tejon split. From Palmdale to Victorville this includes a ROW for extension of Las Vegas/Victoville 250 kph. HSR to connect to Metrolink and/or eventual HSR from Palmdale to LAUPT.
Yes, it is costly and sticks it to the auto user, while letting trucks skate..... No, even if the HSR fiasco, wasn't wasting a good part of the 13 billion, thus far committed, it is not nearly enough to fund the 150 billion in needed road repairs in CA, and this only pays for about a third of that.
The funding for Local and State the huge state maintenance/replace/upgrade of streets, highways, bridges, and freeways will eat up most of this increase. The recent work on the I-210 is an example of a project where they began to rehab the freeway, and discovered that the roadway was almost totally destroyed under most of the outside lanes, and had to be totally rebuilt and all concrete completely replaced. Bad design for ground water back in the 60's, and trucks that are now nearly double the axle loadings had done significantly more damage than had been expected..... Unfortunately, this small example of why failure to upgrade and maintain these roadways, and our failure to properly fund these, results in vastly increased project schedules and costs.
It is too bad that though this also raises diesel taxes for truckers, it still "sticks" the auto owner with much of the cost of the repairs, for the much more extensive damage and degradation of our freeways and streets done by trucks.
