Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Bullet Train Leader is 'OK' With a Do-Over Vote
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 7 years ago on
March 16, 2018

Share

Dan Richard, the longtime chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, told a Bay Area newspaper columnist Thursday that he is “OK” with allowing voters a second say on the controversial, budget-busting bullet-train project.
“I actually would be OK with that,” Richard told Richard Borenstein, a columnist and editorial page editor of the East Bay Times. “I do think this is a choice that people ought to make. … At some point, sure, I’m happy to call the question with the voters.”

Budget Explodes, Construction Pushed Back

“I do think this is a choice that people ought to make. … At some point, sure, I’m happy to call the question with the voters.” — High-Speed Rail Authority Chair Dan Richard
Richard’s comments came six days after the rail authority revealed that the cost of connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco would be $77.3 billion and could rise as high as $98.1 billion. That was an increase of about $13 billion from 2016 estimates.
In addition, the rail authority said in its 2018 draft business plan released March 9 that the full system would not begin operations until 2033. The authority also pushed back the opening of the statewide bullet-train system’s first phase —San Francisco to Bakersfield — by four years to 2029.
Noted Borenstein in his column: “In 2008, the ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco was forecast to take about 2 1/2 hours and cost $50 one-way, or about $61 in today’s dollars. Today, the authority estimates the ride will take nearly three hours and the fare will be $93.”

Voters Approved Bullet Train in 2008

Voters approved the project, which was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, 52.7% to 47.3% in 2008. Proposition 1A authorized the state to issue $9.95 billion in bonds for high-speed rail. The remainder of the construction funding, proponents said, would come from the federal government and private investors.
To date, private investors have contributed nothing. Federal funding has stalled at the $3.5 billion provided by the Obama administration before the Republicans gained control of Congress.
But contributions from California’s cap-and-trade program are keeping the project afloat. High-speed rail is counting on $8 billion from the fund through 2030.

Brown Remains Bullish on High-Speed Rail


Gov. Brown wrote an open letter to President Trump this week exhorting him to support California’s bullet-train project.
Despite the construction delays and soaring costs, Gov. Jerry Brown remains a big supporter of high-speed rail. In fact, he wrote an open letter to President Donald Trump this week exhorting him to back California’s ambitious but troubled effort.
“You have lamented that ‘we don’t have one fast train’ in our country,’ ” Brown wrote. “Well, Mr. President, in California we are trying to fix that. We have a world-class train system under construction.”
You can read Borenstein’s entire column at this link. 
 
 

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Leads to Double DUI Arrest After Passenger Grabs Wheel

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified School Board May Change Longstanding Role Under Revised Bylaw

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified’s New Supe Allegedly Helped Promote Her Cousin. 4 Lawsuits Claim Nepotism, Incompetence

DON'T MISS

How are Fresno County, Valley Prosecutors Using Prop 36 in Drug and Theft Cases?

DON'T MISS

49ers Agree to Contract With Free Agent Tackle D.J. Humphries

DON'T MISS

Wisconsin High Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Accused of Helping Man Evade Immigration Authorities

DON'T MISS

Electronic Arts Lays off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game, Bloomberg News Reports

DON'T MISS

JetBlue Negotiates Partnership With United Airlines, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

George Kittle Agrees to Extension With 49ers, Becomes Highest-Paid Tight End Ever

DON'T MISS

These Fresno Women Fled the Holocaust. Watch Their Stories.

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified School Board May Change Longstanding Role Under Revised Bylaw

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified’s New Supe Allegedly Helped Promote Her Cousin. 4 Lawsuits Claim Nepotism, Incompetence

UP NEXT

How are Fresno County, Valley Prosecutors Using Prop 36 in Drug and Theft Cases?

UP NEXT

49ers Agree to Contract With Free Agent Tackle D.J. Humphries

UP NEXT

Wisconsin High Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Accused of Helping Man Evade Immigration Authorities

UP NEXT

Electronic Arts Lays off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game, Bloomberg News Reports

UP NEXT

JetBlue Negotiates Partnership With United Airlines, Sources Say

UP NEXT

George Kittle Agrees to Extension With 49ers, Becomes Highest-Paid Tight End Ever

UP NEXT

These Fresno Women Fled the Holocaust. Watch Their Stories.

UP NEXT

California City Councilmember Charged in Hazardous Waste Transport Conspiracy

How are Fresno County, Valley Prosecutors Using Prop 36 in Drug and Theft Cases?

12 hours ago

49ers Agree to Contract With Free Agent Tackle D.J. Humphries

13 hours ago

Wisconsin High Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Accused of Helping Man Evade Immigration Authorities

13 hours ago

Electronic Arts Lays off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game, Bloomberg News Reports

13 hours ago

JetBlue Negotiates Partnership With United Airlines, Sources Say

13 hours ago

George Kittle Agrees to Extension With 49ers, Becomes Highest-Paid Tight End Ever

13 hours ago

These Fresno Women Fled the Holocaust. Watch Their Stories.

13 hours ago

California City Councilmember Charged in Hazardous Waste Transport Conspiracy

14 hours ago

Amazon Denies Tariff Costs Display After White House Backlash

14 hours ago

Federal Judge Restricts Border Patrol Warrantless Arrests in California District

14 hours ago

Fresno Crash Leads to Double DUI Arrest After Passenger Grabs Wheel

Two people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after an SUV crashed into a Fresno business near Shaw and Wishon avenue...

12 hours ago

Two people were arrested for DUI in Fresno after the passenger grabbed the wheel and helped crash an SUV into a local business. (CHP)
12 hours ago

Fresno Crash Leads to Double DUI Arrest After Passenger Grabs Wheel

12 hours ago

Fresno Unified School Board May Change Longstanding Role Under Revised Bylaw

12 hours ago

Fresno Unified’s New Supe Allegedly Helped Promote Her Cousin. 4 Lawsuits Claim Nepotism, Incompetence

12 hours ago

How are Fresno County, Valley Prosecutors Using Prop 36 in Drug and Theft Cases?

13 hours ago

49ers Agree to Contract With Free Agent Tackle D.J. Humphries

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan speaks during a rally marking the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wis. (Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP)
13 hours ago

Wisconsin High Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Accused of Helping Man Evade Immigration Authorities

An Electronic Arts office building is shown in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 27, 2020. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
13 hours ago

Electronic Arts Lays off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game, Bloomberg News Reports

United Airlines planes land and prepare to take off at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, , U.S., January 27, 2025. (REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)
13 hours ago

JetBlue Negotiates Partnership With United Airlines, Sources Say

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend