CA's high speed rail will cost more than estimated

[Deleted]

Well duh. They want to start by connecting places that no one cares about. In places where high speed rail could have enough riders there is massive opposition to putting it in.

Environmental reports released Tuesday show the first segment of the line in the Central Valley will cost between $10 billion and $13.9 billion, far more than the 2009 estimate of $7.1 billion.

Rail authority officials say the 2009 estimates were made before detailed engineering work and feedback from communities along the proposed route.

Read more: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/08/09/state/n050110D79.DTL#ixzz1UfTMaSp5

Meanwhile CA is already looking at another budget shortfall.

California's budget already is showing signs of trouble less than seven weeks after it was enacted, as taxes and other revenue fell short by 10 percent of the state's projected income for July, Controller John Chiang said Tuesday.

The shortfall, totaling just under $539 million in the first month of the fiscal year, raises concerns that public schools, higher education, health and social services - and other programs that lost funding because of budget tightening - could be hit with even deeper cuts midyear.

Read more: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/09/BAMM1KLC9L.DTL#ixzz1UfTfVTVi

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

It's a boondoggle of epic proportion.

[djAdvocate]

Aug 10, 2011 17:43:18 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

It's a boondoggle of epic proportion.

not really. it is to be expected. it is very rare that a construction project doesn't come in 2x over budget.

this project will be scaled back to make the budget, anyway. there are already notable changes just in our neck of the woods to affect this change.

[cme1201]

I know I am glad that Rick Scott said no to the one in Florida. Couldn't scale back the project and still receive the federal monies, if it ran into cost over runs the state would be left holding the check.

Sorry for you guys, glad for us.

[djAdvocate]

Aug 10, 2011 18:36:17 GMT -5 cme1201 said:

I know I am glad that Rick Scott said no to the one in Florida. Couldn't scale back the project and still receive the federal monies, if it ran into cost over runs the state would be left holding the check.

Sorry for you guys, glad for us.

there is a certain segment of the population that doesn't care how much it costs. they are a serious problem.

[cme1201]

Aug 10, 2011 18:39:03 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Aug 10, 2011 18:36:17 GMT -5 cme1201 said:

I know I am glad that Rick Scott said no to the one in Florida. Couldn't scale back the project and still receive the federal monies, if it ran into cost over runs the state would be left holding the check.

Sorry for you guys, glad for us.

there is a certain segment of the population that doesn't care how much it costs. they are a serious problem.

You are right sir. You are right.

[Deleted]

Environmental reports released Tuesday show the first segment of the line in the Central Valley will cost between $10 billion and $13.9 billion, far more than the 2009 estimate of $7.1 billion.

Suggestions to fix this problem:

1. Raise taxes.

2. Repeal Bush's tax cuts (I know they are federal but everybody knows that 3% more will fix everything in the country plus balance the budget by noon tomorrow.

3. Let something other than a form of government build/manage something like this.

I'm thinking 1 & 2 will just fix everything. Number 3 is just to far out there to work.

[djAdvocate]

Aug 10, 2011 20:11:44 GMT -5 @oldtex said:

Environmental reports released Tuesday show the first segment of the line in the Central Valley will cost between $10 billion and $13.9 billion, far more than the 2009 estimate of $7.1 billion.

Suggestions to fix this problem:

1. Raise taxes.

2. Repeal Bush's tax cuts (I know they are federal but everybody knows that 3% more will fix everything in the country plus balance the budget by noon tomorrow.

3. Let something other than a form of government build/manage something like this.

I'm thinking 1 & 2 will just fix everything. Number 3 is just to far out there to work.

someone other than a defense contractor, unless you want to pay $113B for a single train.

[Don Perignon]

Golly, if they just drag their heels a little and wait a bit, they can pursue the project at dramatically lower cost by doing it after the economic meltdown.

[handyman2]

Well it is California after all what would you expect? Every thing costs more there.

[wyouser]

I wonder if all the enviormental impact studies have anything to do with potential cost overruns? Surely this will impact some endangered microbe?

[floridayankee]

Aug 10, 2011 18:36:17 GMT -5 cme1201 said:

I know I am glad that Rick Scott said no to the one in Florida. Couldn't scale back the project and still receive the federal monies, if it ran into cost over runs the state would be left holding the check.

Sorry for you guys, glad for us.

I hear that CME. I didn't care much for the thought spending millions on HSR. Tampa has their TECO (electric) streetcar boondoggle going on. They recently completed adding another 1/3 mile of track for a mere $5.3 million....yes, I said $5.3 million buckaroos for one-third of a mile....and ridership so far is down 7%. Their proposed budget is $1.5 million. I believe it costs $2.50 per ride. That means they need roughly 1,925 riders per day (312 days - no Sunday service) to break even.

[verrip1]

Somebody remind me. What is the problem that this CA high speed train is supposed to fix?

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Somebody remind me. What is the problem that this CA high speed train is supposed to fix?


I believe to get people to use public transportation rather then jumping in their autos.

[verrip1]

You mean that all those other transit systems are overloaded with passengers, and the train will take the burden off them?

[No, I didn't think so. ]

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

You mean that all those other transit systems are overloaded with passengers, and the train will take the burden off them?


You suggesting all those people in CA are not concerned about the environment?

[floridayankee]

Aug 11, 2011 15:00:58 GMT -5 Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ said:

You suggesting all those people in CA are not concerned about the environment?

Of course they are....that's why they want you to stop driving.

[wyouser]

perhaps this will distract them out there.....perchance they will leave we "out in the stix dwellers" alone?

[verrip1]

SF #16:

No. There are many people here in CA who constantly bemoan the condition of the environment. We call them "drivers", and they don't use public transportation. They just want other people to use it.

That said, I give kudos to companies who provide/coordinate carpooling service for their employees to get to and from work. Much better in many ways than over-designed and under-utilized behemoth public works projects.

[cme1201]

Aug 11, 2011 14:40:05 GMT -5 verrip1 said:

Somebody remind me. What is the problem that this CA high speed train is supposed to fix?

Someone needed Votes.

Someone needed a fat government contract.

Someone said HEY California and the Federal Government are swimming in money we need somewhere to throw it away.

Take your pick.

[bubblyandblue]

I do believe the CA rail will have ample ridership and be a great way to get to city centers. I used to commute to my downtown office via train... I actually miss doing that. I was able to commute by car but when all is done the train was much faster, cheaper and I could read the whole paper front to back.

[jkapp]

Aug 10, 2011 18:28:03 GMT -5 @sroo4 said:

HAHAHAHA Isn't this the same one that WI turned down, because it was going to be too expensive.

Yep, Walker cancelled that project...thank god! The liberals in the southern part of the state complained that it would cost us jobs, of course they never thought it would end up costing MORE to build (which it ultimately would have, plus the cost of maintaining it for years to come). Or if they did know if would cost more they just didn't care...which is maybe why were were in a $3.6B deficit in the first place???

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

The first section of the High Speed Rail will be built between Chowchilla (population 19,193) and Wasco (poulation 24,724). These two "cities" are 134 miles apart. The only city of any size between these two central California cities is Fresno (population approximately 500,000), but I really don't see people in Fresno jumping on a high speed train to go 34 miles north to Chowchilla, much less about 100 miles south to Wasco.)

[rovo]

Aug 11, 2011 17:23:07 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

The first section of the High Speed Rail will be built between Chowchilla (population 19,193) and Wasco (poulation 24,724). These two "cities" are 134 miles apart. The only city of any size between these two central California cities is Fresno (population approximately 500,000), but I really don't see people in Fresno jumping on a high speed train to go 34 miles north to Chowchilla, much less about 100 miles south to Wasco.)

Maybe not but I bet there are dozens of people in each of the two smaller cities that would use it to go to Fresno.

[verrip1]

Wow. Dozens you say.

Well, that makes it worth the investment, I guess.

[Deleted]

Meanwhile, in the highly crowded SF Bay Area, where ridership has a chance of being decent:

Palo Alto, Atherton and Menlo Park launched a fresh lawsuit Thursday against the California High-Speed Rail Authority, claiming the state agency violated state laws when it approved a comprehensive study evaluating the Bay Area-to-Central Valley segment of the 800-mile high-speed rail system.

The three cities, which have been among the most vocal critics of the voter-approved rail system, claim in their lawsuit that the rail authority ignored their comments and essentially disregarded new information identifying flaws in the agency's ridership models.

www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=18494

The average house prices in those cities are well over a million dollars.

[Deleted]

I believe it costs $2.50 per ride.

One just has to wonder, in SF do you pay half price if your sitting in someone's lap? (or pay double if you have a goldfish?).