(2/6/13)
– IE Transit Talking Points Short
A
Better Inland Empire was shocked to hear that four construction
firms who submitted losing bids to the California High Speed Rail
Authority received a total of $8 million in taxpayer high
speed rail transit money...for nothing! HSR officials argued that
this “stipend” of $2 million each was necessary to attract
bidders, but such a wasteful payout is virtually unheard of according to those
who work in the construction marketplace. This example of government
waste shows why support for high speed rail continues to fall.
The
Transit Coalition supports high speed rail, but it must be done
right. The Coalition’s vision is a cost-efficient statewide intercity high speed rail system that would allow the first of high-speed trains to use
existing upgraded commuter and intercity rail corridors--using a
combination of electrification, separated grade crossings, positive
train control, and/or upgraded rail cars--while improving speeds and
travel time for existing train routes. The approved $9.95 billion in
public seed money combined with awarded federal funds is more than enough to design and build these
upgrades throughout the state which would have allowed private
capital to invest in the remainder of the project. However, CHSRA has
proposed what is essentially a second rail system for the Central
Valley, duplicating existing usable infrastructure and potentially disrupting the agricultural sector. To make matters
worse, the agency isn’t prepared to break ground later in July.
According
to various sources, CHSRA has yet to acquire ownership of any of the
land it needs to build the starting segment in the Central Valley
which is very discouraging. Why would any private contractor want to
bid on this project when the public agency has yet to purchase the
land? Without the $2 million in government "runner-up" giveaways, the risk would be too
great in the marketplace.
Moving
forward, the state must accept the fact that high speed rail
transportation projects need to be both cost-effective and
non-disruptive to the communities they serve. There are plenty of
opportunities to solicit market bids without handing out stipends:
Upgrade the existing San Joaquin Rail Corridor. Connect Los Angeles
and Bakersfield with a direct rail line. Separate the grade crossings
for the LOSSAN Rail Corridor between LA and Anaheim. Amend the law so
high speed rail can be done right. Stop handing out $8 million worth of
stipends for nothing.
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