Lawmakers Call CA High-Speed Rail Plan ‘Foolhardy,' Threaten to Pull Funding

As Congress works to finalize the largest infrastructure spending bill in decades, a growing number of state lawmakers in Sacramento have begun to raise doubts about California’s biggest venture, the high-speed rail project. Senior investigative reporter Stephen Stock reports.

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[Alejandro-vnsi]

It needs to finish and I want this project. I really understand the frustration and opposition in this project, but we need to let it finish! We have already built structures and all of that is going to be waste if enough funding is not available. This country impress me with how rich actually is and it impress me how it what get things done. Let's be realistic, even if we want something physical like a house it it going to take time to built a house and this even applies to paying a mortgage a the hosue. The same applies here, it cannot be done magically tomorrow, but in the future this train will create a better alternative for transportation for all californias. Lets pressure the government for what we have voted in 2008!

[TheFarmanimalfriend]

I grew up in Merced. The fog, with all it's fatal accidents, drove us apart. High speed rail will bring us together. The people of California need this project.

[takakokomori]

Surprised that many people seem to be against the High Speed Rail project. From what I can see from the comments, it`s costing a fortune and it`s taking forever to complete, but what is the real reason behind this opposition? Why is it called "the train to nowhere" and why do those who oppose the project think that nobody will ride the high speed rail when it is completed? In the video, it said that more money should be spent on public transit within the cities (e.g. San Francisco, L.A.) . I agree with this, since after one uses the high speed rail, it makes no sense to rent a car to get to one`s destination. One has to able to easily transfer from the HSR to a local train/subway.
I live in Japan and the HSR works great here!

[melissareiter]

Make the goal Sacramento to San Diego, AND MAKE IT Other country's are kicking our ass because these "level-headed" "government workers/ law makers" don't dare to dream, and don't dare to achieve.

[CARambolagen]

It's pathetic! China built 37, 900 km of High Speed Rail in 15 years! Americans can't get a 1000km built AT ALL!

[MarcoBonechi]

the laughing stock is the inability to build fast trains.

[ethanol]

I'm pretty sure the second coming of Christ will happen sooner than the completion of this line

[gabrielramirez]

Build the bullet train! From Sacramento to San Diego

[etunimi]

Let's see who wins!!!

1 like FOR California high speed rail
1 comment AGAINST California high speed rail

[samtoo]

in China the. Government can finish a high speed railway similar distance from sf to New York in 5 years . And yet in America we still discussing on either if this has any benefits. What a joke

[DiegoMartinez-bmjs]

its amazing that this project even started...we need high speed rail...we need more public transit...bht we are going the wrkng way...why cant we do what has worked for many others, we should be taking notes or even letting other countries heavily assist us in these projects, such as france germany and japan

[jarjarbinks]

Should have been built along the i5 right of way. No real reason to buy up expensive swaths of land in the Central Valley for little to no benefit when it comes to route viability. If Merced and bakers field want to be included they could build out a light rail network the connects to the California high speed rail.

French high speed rail companies proposed this and if they had their way the project would have suddenly been billions of dollars cheaper and probably built out to completion by now.

Projects such as this one are the reason many Americans do not have faith in transportation and infrastructure investment.

[gabrielramirez]

I really hope this bullet train works and they figure it out

[sinfinite]

Mfw he says he’s concerned the project will never finish and be a laughing stock for California, while also saying he wants to divert money from the project…

[MostHigh]

I'm a big proponent of high speed rail but I must say this is really a screw up. This is what happens when you allow politics to run a massive project. Project was executed based on political expediency not any kind of rational analysis. I don't think California has much choice but to complete it but it's going to cost astronomically more than it would have and should have and be a slower trip from LA to San Francisco because instead of taking the direct route it went way to the east.

[tavita]

Who the hell builds from Bakersfield to Merced no one live out there. It should be San Francisco in that order.

[donalee]

Foolhearty? I want a train from LA to Oregon

[tyroneful]

The reason nothing gets done is becUse there is too many hands that are in the pot

[isaacsac]

I’m all for this project and I want to see this project continue. We need to get more cars off the road. We needs to get more people out of airplanes. Airplanes pollute the air.

[Itwillgrowback]

If the state really wants to address systemic poverty in the majority Mexican Central Valley, it will do everything in its power to fund HSR and infrastructure in the Valley instead of giving it all to Coastal CA.