From Whittier Daily News: High-speed rail proposal picking up steam

Link: High-speed rail proposal picking up steam - Whittier Daily News

High-speed rail proposal picking up steam
By Ben Baeder, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/23/2009 07:21:23 PM PDT

Rail advocates speculate California might be first in line for part of $8 billion in federal stimulus funds set aside for high-speed rail.

This week Karen Rae, deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, praised California voters' approval in November of $9 billion in bonds for a high-speed rail project.

"California, by having the bond, has a step up," Rae said.

Overall, the state's high-speed rail authority is flush with billions in bond money and is poised to get billions more from the federal stimulus package. Now experts say California's $45 billion bullet train project could be changing from a public-works pipe dream into a real possibility.

The state is working on its stimulus
Rendering courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
application, which has a preliminary due date of July 10 with final applications due by Aug. 24.

Statements like Rae's have encouraged members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which was at one time so poorly regarded that former Gov. Gray Davis proposed dissolving it in 2003.

"We'll be taking a closer look at the details of the guidelines, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that such guidelines will enable the California High-Speed Rail Authority to secure a significant federal stimulus grant consistent with our project's progress," said California High-Speed Rail Authority Chairman Quentin Kopp in a statement.

The Rail Authority has plans for 800 miles of track that would carry trains traveling up to 220 mph. The trains would link San Francisco, Sacramento, the Central Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego.

High-speed rail officials said construction on parts of the project could start by 2011.

Some local officials are skeptical the endeavor is worth the price.

The government should concentrate on extending the Metro Gold Line light rail from Pasadena to the Inland Empire, said Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas.

Many area leaders were disappointed that the proposed $1billion extension of the commuter train did not receive stimulus funding.

"It makes more sense for our region to work on advancing a construction-ready project that we know will create jobs and has tremendous bipartisan support like the Foothill Extension," Dreier said in a statement.

Other experts agreed that building a bullet-train through urban areas might be tougher to pull off than state officials are letting on.

"They have a pretty ambitious time frame," said Thaddeus McCormack, who handles transportation issues for Santa Fe Springs.

Officials from cities along the routes question whether the Rail Authority would be able to start work so quickly.

"They're moving very quickly and we're just not ready to move that quickly," McCormack said.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, said the train would create jobs and reduce the need for airport expansions.

"I support the high-speed rail for California," he said. "In the places where it's been utilized, it's been an effective way to move people. Unless we want to build airports out further, which comes with a lot of traffic and noise problems, high-speed rail can be part of a good alternative.

"If there are federal resources to put Californians to work, we should use them," he said.

Proposed routes through the area include one from Los Angeles out to the L.A./Ontario International Airport with a stop somewhere in the eastern part of the San Gabriel Valley. Another option has a spur heading south to Anaheim with a stop in Santa Fe Springs or Fullerton.

But an exact route through the San Gabriel Valley has not been established.

The Rail Authority had been floating a plan to run the train along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks near the 60 Freeway, but that route is unlikely at this point, said Industry Mayor Dave Perez.

"Cal Poly (Pomona) really wanted the train to be near their campus," Perez said. "But they needed the station (built) out by the school and that would cost the city $15 million. So I think they're going to do something else along the 10 Freeway."

How the train would run along the 10 is still being decided, authorities said. Public-input meetings
Proposed high-speed train route.
regarding routes through the San Gabriel Valley are expected to begin in the fall.

One public transportation advocate said the state's proposal is a good one.

Similar rail systems in Asia and Europe have been around for 40 years, said Dana Gabbard of the Los Angeles County-based Southern California Transit Advocates, which has opposed high-speed rail proposals in the past.

"It isn't anything outrageous as far as practicality," he said. "If we want it, we can get it this time. It's really of matter of if we really do want it."

But skepticism remains.

"I think the conventional wisdom on the high-speed rail is, `Let's just wait and see,"' McCormack said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

ben.baeder@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2230