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Lars77

(3,032 posts)

4. Public investment in infrastructure is expensive but crucial

Fri Jul 6, 2012, 08:45 PM

Jul 2012

It's just like the roads. Once it's built, companies will start using them. The problem with the western US though, is that there is very little public transportation to link up with the high speed rail. In Europe and Asia you leave the train station to board a bus, subway or tram. In California you might have to go straight for the rental car desk, regretting you left your car at the other station.

Why there isn't high speed rail from New England to DC however, is beyond me. That should have been built in the sixties, maybe all the way down to Miami.

In France you can go from Paris to Marseille in 3 hours doing an average speed of 163 mph, including all the stops in between.

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(CA) Legislature approves high-speed rail spending [View all] alp227 Jul 2012 OP

This is great news! lunatica Jul 2012 #1

+1 n/t jaysunb Jul 2012 #2

I applaud the decision but....... Swede Atlanta Jul 2012 #3

San Diego to San Francisco is also heavily traveled lunatica Jul 2012 #5

The spur between Los Angeles and San Diego is no longer detailed in the master plan slackmaster Jul 2012 #8

however, you're using the hwy system right now that someone else paid into & never used wordpix Jul 2012 #10

I use the FEDERAL highway system every day. It became useful to a lot of people within the first... slackmaster Jul 2012 #15

It should primavera Jul 2012 #25

All San Diego needs... happerbolic Jul 2012 #14

Are you sure this would be cheaper than flying? XemaSab Jul 2012 #18

Yes, cheaper. kemah Jul 2012 #36

Public investment in infrastructure is expensive but crucial Lars77 Jul 2012 #4

there is the Acela if you want to call it high speed wordpix Jul 2012 #11

It's difficult to get used to paying a lot for a train ride. Lars77 Jul 2012 #22

In the US, most air travelers do not begin or end their trip in city centers FarCenter Jul 2012 #27

Population density is the key Big_Mike Jul 2012 #38

This will add to the state's debt load for decades. First segment won't start carrying passengers... slackmaster Jul 2012 #6

It's going to sit empty when this stretch is finished. Kablooie Jul 2012 #23

There are almost a million people Le Taz Hot Jul 2012 #28

And most of those residents are in agriculture, or support the Ag businesses Big_Mike Jul 2012 #39

Actually, agricultural jobs only make up about Le Taz Hot Jul 2012 #43

You are correct about the percentage in directly in the Ag business, Big_Mike Jul 2012 #44

California is broke and future funding to complete this is far from certain. Psephos Jul 2012 #7

And they are seizing farmland and homes from people to build. I'm far from happy that Brown is IndyJones Jul 2012 #42

I understand the concerns, but imagine if the expensive highways system was never built? newthinking Jul 2012 #9

I agree with your concept quakerboy Jul 2012 #17

Where do you see that? newthinking Jul 2012 #19

Memory quakerboy Jul 2012 #21

I think there is a stop near the giant ball of rubber bands? n/t IamK Jul 2012 #12

You will be able to go from the valley to Merced and take a cab to the zoo and see Sparky the alpaca slackmaster Jul 2012 #16

The SLOWEST high speed rail to NOWHERE itsrobert Jul 2012 #13

The Repukes in CA have done everything they could to stop this. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #20

But this first stretch will only connect farmers to farmers. Kablooie Jul 2012 #24

It could be beneficial to one dating site I know of... slackmaster Jul 2012 #26

Those farmers have to be pretty hot to need the bullet train to connect. Kablooie Jul 2012 #29

Enough with the ring wing hyperbole. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #34

Enough with dismissing any and all criticism of the project as right-wing whatever slackmaster Jul 2012 #35

"Farmer to Farmer" is not an honest criticism--hence its right wing patina. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #37

Why must it be done NOW? What opportunity would be "missed" if the project was shelved until... slackmaster Jul 2012 #45

Because interest rates, labor & material costs are low NOW. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #46

Farmers to farmers ? musiclawyer Jul 2012 #30

Bottom line musiclawyer Jul 2012 #31

The RW specializes in nasty memes like that...eom Kolesar Jul 2012 #32

Good point about Fresno. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #33

They are students, they wont be able to afford it. crimson77 Jul 2012 #40

Big Dig part 2 crimson77 Jul 2012 #41

It's almost impossible to kill something like that once it's started slackmaster Jul 2012 #47