I haven’t written about California’s bullet train in some time, but the news from the Golden State for the train leads me to conclude it will never be completed. A news story notes that the train needs $4 to $7 billion to complete a segment from Shafter (just north of Bakersfield) to Merced in California’s San Joaquin Valley (and won’t open until 2030 to 2033). As for completing the line from Los Angeles to San Francisco, let’s add another $100 Billion! To date, every deadline and projection has been exceeded (in dollars and in length of time); I’ll continue to take the over on this.
California is looking at a budget deficit of $73 Billion. Sooner or later (very likely sooner), the federal funding propping up this project will cease, and fiscal realities will have to be looked at. My guess is that there will be a wonderful new bike path in the Central Valley opening in the next few years.
In so many ways this short clip is apropos:
Tags: Train.to.Nowhere