[www.city-journal.org]

"This runaway localism is also responsible for much of the excessive cost of California High-Speed Rail, which receives extensive mention in Vartabedian’s article. The estimated unit costs for California High-Speed Rail—that is, the costs per mile of track, viaduct, tunnel, or retaining wall—were actually in line with international norms; excess costs stemmed largely from overengineering and poor route choices with traceable political causes. The most egregious example of this, the crossing of the Tehachapi Mountains from Los Angeles to the Central Valley, again stemmed from excessive interference of local interests. Likely at the behest of Los Angeles County officials who wanted to encourage suburban growth, the California High-Speed Rail Authority designed a long detour through the exurb of Palmdale rather than following the natural direct route to the north-northwest along Interstate 5. The authority justified its decision with an analysis filled with bizarre assumptions—asserting, for example, that the more direct route would require several miles of extra tunnels to avoid even minor impacts on a planned housing development in a key location."

Author is apparently unaware of the enormous power the Tejon Ranch Co. enjoys in California. Its power is far from "local".

Besides Palmdale's karma seems to be cursed and invites ever more bl