Bullet train backers intensify efforts (Source:San Francisco Business Times)

Link: San Francisco Business Times: Bullet train backers intensify efforts

Bullet train backers intensify efforts
Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 4:12pm PST

California voters embraced the idea of a bullet train in 2008, passing a nearly $10 billion bond to jump start the project.

But a little more than a year later, some supports think high-speed rail is in need of a lot more love.

Californians For High Speed Rail, a San Francisco-based group, said on Tuesday it is “launching a statewide effort to bring together individual supporters of the HSR project to provide a stronger and louder collective voice in support of HSR.”

The group’s priorities include: Building grass roots advocacy, campaigning for federal funding and building political support.

“There is no better time than now to bring together HSR supporters,” said Brian Stanke, executive director of Californians For High Speed Rail.

Indeed the bullet train is running into more criticism as state planners work on finalizing a route and rounding up additional money for the $42.6 billion project.

Some critics are questioning whether federal money should be spent on high-speed rail. Others wonder if California’s high-speed train will ever make money.

Meanwhile state analysts want bullet train planners to get more explicit with their business plan.

Californians For High Speed Rail is not alone in its efforts to drum up additional support for the project. Bay Area chambers of commerce and labor groups last year formed the Alliance for Sustainable Transit and Jobs to support bullet train planning along the section between San Francisco and San Jose.