Saturday, November 8, 2008

Californi'as 220mph bullet train in our backyard


Click to enlarge

With the recent passage of Proposition 1A, the wheels have started to churn on a sophisticated bullet train system that will eventually link San Diego in the south with Sacramento in the north, with stops at most every major city in between (LA and San Francisco included). The 800-mile network of trains will operate at upwards of 220mph and cost around $45 billion to construct, but it'll create 320,000 permanent jobs by 2030 and reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuel by 12.7 million barrels of oil per year.

According to this map, it'll run by UC Riverside which is only about a quarter mile from our house which will be quite convenient for us if we decide to use it.  Despite all of this "coolness," I VOTED AGAINST it because I don't think a state that's up to it's ears in debt should write a check for a $45 billion dollar toy that we really don't need.

2 comments:

The Ward Family said...

I voted No for the same reason! How did your Prop 8 debate go? We were thinking of u that night.

Spence said...

I like posts like this - I'd never even heard of this bullet train. I can see it making sense fiscally in the long run - but I agree with you that it may not be the best idea right now with your state so far in the hole.

But 220 miles an hour sounds pretty cool!