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Re: Ernest, you wrongly assume they have good sense?
Author: BOB2
Date: 04-25-2017 - 17:03
There you go again Ernest, talking like you have good sense. Unfortunately, this misbegotten and amazingly mismanaged, project has never had that critical element going for it......
This project, has been its since inception, even at the very earliest meetings I can remember in the late 90's,nothing but a bloated, political "slop trough" based solely on a political "vision".
It is a project that from its inception has had nothing particularly to do with any of our most pressing transportation needs and/or deficiencies that would or could be met through making the most cost effective investments in rail in CA. Many of these with real and immediate cost savings and benefits, to operators and existing rail users in our most congested corridors, that could have been built for a fraction of the funds we are currently "squandering" away on this "stranded" investment in the Valley....
The deal on the gas tax with the Senator from Ceres to extend ACE, may give us a plan B which could allow for a possible connection to the "stranded" HSR segment. This could allow the taxpayers and voters, who have been thoroughly flim-flammed on this bloated project, to at least see some public good salvaged from this misbegotten mess, by allowing San Joaquin and Commuter operations to use the segment completed, and allow for much needed service into the Bay Area, via Altamont.
I do not expect to see any real further progress, or much additional public funding, which would be required to complete any conceivable option for tunneling under any potential route under the Tehachipi or San Gabriel mountains, any time soon.
There is little political will with the public, nor with either political party (in Sac or DC) to give these folks anything more. If they can come up with a Plan B that restores public confidence, and come up with more realistic and cost effective alternatives, and a better business case, then maybe we can someday connect north and south........
However, on the good side of things, the Southern California legislators and affected agencies did finally "bludgeon" a commitment out of the dysfunctional CHSRA to fund "at least the first phase" of the Union Station run through (the single highest cost benefit rail project in the State), which could be in operation by 2024, prior to the 2024 Los Angels Olympic Games.
This is a very good project, in our most congested LOSSAN (I-5/US101 Freeway) and most heavily traveled rail passenger corridor, which will have significant operating cost savings for operators and significant travel time savings for a huge number of existing and projected passengers, entering or passing through Union Station, regardless of what these nincompoops continue to do up north. So, having worked over too many years on this well planned, much needed, beneficial and highly cost effective rail project, I'm a happy camper...... That's how I measure my career success........
This project, has been its since inception, even at the very earliest meetings I can remember in the late 90's,nothing but a bloated, political "slop trough" based solely on a political "vision".
It is a project that from its inception has had nothing particularly to do with any of our most pressing transportation needs and/or deficiencies that would or could be met through making the most cost effective investments in rail in CA. Many of these with real and immediate cost savings and benefits, to operators and existing rail users in our most congested corridors, that could have been built for a fraction of the funds we are currently "squandering" away on this "stranded" investment in the Valley....
The deal on the gas tax with the Senator from Ceres to extend ACE, may give us a plan B which could allow for a possible connection to the "stranded" HSR segment. This could allow the taxpayers and voters, who have been thoroughly flim-flammed on this bloated project, to at least see some public good salvaged from this misbegotten mess, by allowing San Joaquin and Commuter operations to use the segment completed, and allow for much needed service into the Bay Area, via Altamont.
I do not expect to see any real further progress, or much additional public funding, which would be required to complete any conceivable option for tunneling under any potential route under the Tehachipi or San Gabriel mountains, any time soon.
There is little political will with the public, nor with either political party (in Sac or DC) to give these folks anything more. If they can come up with a Plan B that restores public confidence, and come up with more realistic and cost effective alternatives, and a better business case, then maybe we can someday connect north and south........
However, on the good side of things, the Southern California legislators and affected agencies did finally "bludgeon" a commitment out of the dysfunctional CHSRA to fund "at least the first phase" of the Union Station run through (the single highest cost benefit rail project in the State), which could be in operation by 2024, prior to the 2024 Los Angels Olympic Games.
This is a very good project, in our most congested LOSSAN (I-5/US101 Freeway) and most heavily traveled rail passenger corridor, which will have significant operating cost savings for operators and significant travel time savings for a huge number of existing and projected passengers, entering or passing through Union Station, regardless of what these nincompoops continue to do up north. So, having worked over too many years on this well planned, much needed, beneficial and highly cost effective rail project, I'm a happy camper...... That's how I measure my career success........
