High-Speed Rail Project Becoming More and More Expensive
A series of events over the last month has increased the cost of the high-speed rail project. First, the relocation of Highway 99 in Fresno — a key part of the project — is six months behind schedule and, according to Caltrans’ most recent projections, is going to cost an extra $35 million above previous… Read more »
California Supreme Court Restores Public Agencies’ Ability to Conduct Surveys Without First Filing Eminent Domain
On Thursday of last week, the California Supreme Court in the case Property Reserve, Inc. v. Superior Court of San Joaquin County ruled that government officials don’t need to go through a formal eminent domain process before they can survey private property. This decision reverses the ruling made by the Court of Appeal, which concluded… Read more »
New November Ballot Initiative Could Stop High Speed Rail Project Dead in Its Tracks
The No Blank Check Initiative, which is set for the November, 2016 ballot, would give voters the right to decide whether to fund — with revenue bonds — projects that cost more than $2 billion. If passed, this would put the funding for the high-speed rail project up for another vote. Revenue bonds are… Read more »
Bill Would Allow Use of High-Speed Rail Bonds for Caltrain
A California State lawmaker has introduced a last-minute piece of legislation that would give the state the ability to begin selling voter-approved high-speed rail bonds to go towards electrifying the Caltrain from Gilroy to San Francisco. AB1889 by Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South Francisco, would change the wording of previous legislation to approve selling the bonds to… Read more »
Bullet Train Hurt: Cap-and-Trade Funding Falls Short of Expectations
California’s proposed high-speed rail project hit another hurdle as the latest auction in California’s cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gasses generated revenues sharply below expectations. Buyers purchased just 2% of the carbon credits whose sales are meant to supply funding to the high-speed rail project, according to the LA Times. The rail authority expected about $150… Read more »
It’s Official: High Speed Rail Will Go North First
The California High Speed Rail Authority board has accepted a new revision to the bullet train’s original plan, stating that the railway section stretching from Central Valley to San Jose will now be completed first, before the high speed rail reaches Southern California, according to U.S. News. The railway connecting Central Valley and San… Read more »
Rail Authority Proposing Plan to Link to Merced in Initial Operating Segment
Approval of a revised California High-Speed Rail proposal was put on hold Thursday, as board officials wanted more time for state officials to calm the lawmakers and citizens that are upset about the decision to send the trains to the San Jose area instead of Los Angeles. The rail authority now intends to link Merced… Read more »
Public Voices Concerns Over California High-Speed Rail
On Tuesday, April 12, the public weighed in on the new California High-Speed Rail proposal that had several updated routes from Bakersfield to Palmdale, Palmdale to Burbank, Burbank to Los Angeles, and Los Angeles to Anaheim. With several mountain ranges, fault lines, natural areas and densely populated regions cutting through the proposed routes, the public… Read more »
Lawmakers Scrutinizing the Viability of High Speed Rail Project
The new California High-Speed Rail Authority business plan that was released last month went before the Assembly Transportation Committee this week. After the California Rail Authority failed to secure enough funds to connect Los Angeles to the future bullet train, the plan now calls for a cheaper segment, from San Jose to the Central Valley,… Read more »
Win For High Speed Rail Proponents: Planning and Funding Will Proceed
A judge has ruled that the new High-Speed Rail proposal does not violate any promises made to the voters who approved the initial proposal and funding and planning can proceed. The ruling for the $64 billion project was announced earlier this month after a group of attorneys and residents from Kings County filed a… Read more »