STUDY IT, OR STUDY IT TO DEATH ?

By Bob Walsh

 

 

SB545 would, if passed into law, launch yet another study of the California High-Speed Rail Project.  The idea of this bill is to study the economic development, both residential and commercial, along the HSR corridor.  Specifically the Office of Land and Climate Innovation (I didn't even know we had one of those) would commission a study of the HSR corridor and other HSR projects in CA, like the one being built with private funds between LA and Vegas.  The cost of this study would be a paltry $700,000.  

As of right now the projected cost of the HSR project is about $130 billion.  Nobody believes that will be the final figure.  

It is right now not sure the bill will even pass.  All of the small Republican numbers in the CA legislature oppose it, as do at least some Democrats.  

The original project completion date was 2020.  That was written into the law that authorized the project back in 2008, passed by the voters.  The original cost, also written into the law, was $33 billion.  They have yet to lay one mile of track or run one train.  The current project will connect Bakersfield to Merced.  

The project has, in reality, turned into a union construction job project.  You would think they would maybe fix some potholes or bridges or something.  That would create jobs and do something useful.