FUD Wrote:
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> Must be a difference in management in some way. Or
> at least in project planning. Gold Line works with
> Design-Build. CAHSR doesn't. Though to be fair the
> scale of the projects, the politics, and of course
> the management and provisions for r/w acquisition

The "Habib factor" and the quality of his Gold Line team has mattered a great deal. Habid Balian (yes, of grade school ice cream family fame)is an old and highly trusted colleague, with the kind of integrity and the ability to keep folks focused "on mission" with an "outcome" based outlook, which anticipates real issues, ensuring early analys, resolotion, and decision making.

My compliment to Lisa, on the quality of her outreach and webside, is a testment to the quality of the kind of smart committed people that have made all of these small "qualitivative" differences of Gold line progress a "cut above" your typical boondoggle in the Valley.

The focus of the Gold Line JPA is on a succesful cost effective projcet delievery, for a well planned project meeting real transportation needs in the 210 corridor. Since when has the CAHSRA been anything other than a politicail creation dedicated to buildiing the most expensive train that money can buy regardless of California's observed rail travel needs or even actual travel demand patterns.