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Re: High Speed would be good, just maybe not this fiasco?
Author: mook
Date: 02-01-2014 - 18:44
If HSR would be used for long-distance commuting (which I think it would), the timing wouldn't be much worse than current BART or express buses. Figure 1 or 1 1/2 hours or so from Fresno to SJ, maybe 1 1/2-2 hours to downtown SF.
Since most of the jobs are in the SJ area I'd expect a crowd of Google/Yahoo/etc buses meeting the trains there. With BART typically taking an hour or so from Concord/Pittsburg to Oakland/SF (add another hour to Fremont & environs) and Caltrain taking 1 1/2 hr or so SF-SJ and even the Google Buses taking an hour or so in traffic, HSR from Fresno has its attractions. Of course, the cheap housing in Fresno would vanish pushing the lower income folks out to Sanger/Reedley etc.
Bakersfield/LA is already a commute zone, though not officially supported, so a 1 hour or less run on HSR to LA would also become a commuter train. HSR people can talk a different line, but unless they charge WAY high fares for short/commute runs it'll happen.
Anybody remember the old SF story "The Roads Will Roll" or something like that? Set in a fully-urbanized Bay Area/Sac-LA corridor tied together with multi-speed (including high one) conveyor belts for people along what used to be 99? That's what I would see happening over 15-20 years along the HSR route in the SJV.
Since most of the jobs are in the SJ area I'd expect a crowd of Google/Yahoo/etc buses meeting the trains there. With BART typically taking an hour or so from Concord/Pittsburg to Oakland/SF (add another hour to Fremont & environs) and Caltrain taking 1 1/2 hr or so SF-SJ and even the Google Buses taking an hour or so in traffic, HSR from Fresno has its attractions. Of course, the cheap housing in Fresno would vanish pushing the lower income folks out to Sanger/Reedley etc.
Bakersfield/LA is already a commute zone, though not officially supported, so a 1 hour or less run on HSR to LA would also become a commuter train. HSR people can talk a different line, but unless they charge WAY high fares for short/commute runs it'll happen.
Anybody remember the old SF story "The Roads Will Roll" or something like that? Set in a fully-urbanized Bay Area/Sac-LA corridor tied together with multi-speed (including high one) conveyor belts for people along what used to be 99? That's what I would see happening over 15-20 years along the HSR route in the SJV.
