We noted in High-Cost Rail - Part 159 back in March that costs for our own little train-to-nowhere were spiraling out of control. But would that cause the Fed and the Bidenflation team to reconsider giving more drugs to the addict? Nope. Here, have another hit, California--the largest one ever from the Feds. Apologies to Quicksilver Messenger Service.
This week the Authority blared out the award of another $3.1 Billion of good money to pour after bad. It will go to
- Fund six electric trains for testing and use
- Fund design of train facilities
- Fund design and construction of the Fresno station
- Fund final design and early works, including right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation on the extensions to Merced to Bakersfield
- Fund construction in the Central Valley
You read that right. Fifteen years into this boondoggle, they are still acquiring right-of-way down near Merced. That is reason #25 why costs are spiraling out of control.
Closer to home, a former mayor of Brisbane is defending his tiny town (pop. 4,850) regarding meeting the outrageous RHNA scam foisted on them by the state--1,588 units over the next eight years. They are trying; even though doubling the size of their burg in eight years is ridiculous and likely to create numerous Unintended Consequences but are still being criticized in the Comicle. Here is the response:
The city of Brisbane has worked well with the Baylands project developer, especially since the passage of the General Plan Amendment in 2018.
Environmental impact reports are being prepared by a hired firm, not the city’s staff. The firm cannot complete its analysis until it has all the necessary information on the ongoing toxic remediation, the source and transmission route of the required water supply and the resolution of a conflict with the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
The real story is how the rail authority is undermining the Baylands project. The city and the developer have sued to persuade the authority to change the proposed configuration of a railyard maintenance facility at the site, which makes the Baylands plan financially unfeasible.
The proposed railyard and maintenance facility requires a substantial proportion of the land area east of the Caltrain track. The developer’s plan for the west side of the Baylands is negatively impacted by a long flyover elevated track proposed by the authority to get southbound trains over to the railyard and maintenance facility.
It’s the state that needs to get its act together, not the city.
Raymond Miller, former mayor, Brisbane
Even towns that are trying to comply and "do their fair share" get chastised. That is the nature of the beast and "it can't be bargained with, it can't be reasoned with, it doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear, and it absolutely will not stop". Apologies to Kyle Reese (The Terminator). Sometimes it seems like the California taxpayer is Linda Hamilton.
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