California’s high-speed rail will cost how much?

The 520-mile railway between San Francisco and Los Angeles was supposed to be completed by 2020. But after 15 years of construction, they've only laid track for a 170-mile stretch in the Central Valley. The project, which has received more than $20 billion in state and federal subsidies, is now projected to cost over $128 billion.

[jrbohan]

And brightline just built a "high speed" from Orlando to Miami for $5B. It isn't considered high speed by international standards, but it is the fastest train in SE USA.

[JoseFloresEC]

Yet when billions is dumped on highways, to widen them or repair them, no one bats an eye.

All of a sudden a new type of rail is being built in the US for the 1st time that can benefit millions and "iTs a WasTe oF mOneY"

[lobstereleven]

Even the French, the FREAKING FRENCH, thought Cali’s high speed rail was too poorly managed. The FREAKING FRENCH. 😂😂😂😂

[yappofloyd]

Poor research. The budget is available online. As of September, $10.4B has been spent NOT $20B as stated! And $10.4B inludes $1.2B on environmental clearance process, $800m on Caltrain electrification, $600m on legal fees for vexious litigation cases, $600m towards LA Union station project, $800m+ on land acquisition costs.

[tshells]

So rather than advocating for trying to fix the bureaucratic obstacles causing this problem, your stance is that we should just give up and continue letting auto manufacturers and oil companies lobby for the government to keep building and maintaining expensive traffic filled super highways so we can spend 2 hours driving 20 miles and pay 50 dollars per week on gas and thousands per year on our cars? It’s pretty easy to criticize solutions when you don’t offer any alternatives.

[danielkostenko]

The interstate system was way more expensive

[nikhilanoop]

Huh wonder where toll free highways came from.

[mattgayda]

How much is his salary? That tells you everything you need to know, just a lifetime taxpayer paid grifter

[AdamSPARTAN]

The only thing moving fast is money into oligarch pockets

[Skeetoo]

"I hope their [Californians'] answer is yes." No, he doesn't care whether we say yes or no, he'll keep trying to build and keep spending our money.

[kiernanoh]

Wait until reason TV learns how much we waste on highways.

[gg]

Any transport infrastructure is going to sound expensive if you just throw the numbers out there with no comparison. How much would airport and road projects to cover the same slack cost? Judging from ongoing projects in California… A LOT.

[spencerjoplin]

I’d rather be with my family than have a martini.

[henrypfeiffer]

Only 128 billion so Californian’s can enjoy a martini what a bargain!!!

[romanrat]

Where did you get 33 billion from. Give me the original document that says 33 billion.

[phishE]

Outsourcing engineering and design work is a sure way to keep the costs nice and high.

[jonathanwilkinson]

You know what else was over budget and took longer than expected? Japan's high-speed rail. Conservatives need to stop crying and freaking out.

[DizzyDiddy]

As someone living in the Midwest, I fully support our federal government throwing money at this. Good use of resources.

[randygault]

It's not even from taxpayers. It's from future taxpayers.... Your grandkids.

[nobodynoone]

I like the idea, but having ridden cali light rail, my doubts remain.