California's bullet train hurtling toward a multibillion-dollar overrun, federal report warns

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE LOS ANGELES TIMES

URL: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-cost-overruns-20170106-story.html

by Ralph Vartabedian


California’s bullet train could cost taxpayers 50% more than estimated — as much as $3.6 billion more. And that’s just for the first 118 miles through the Central Valley, which was supposed to be the easiest part of the route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A confidential Federal Railroad Administration risk analysis, obtained by The Times, projects that building bridges, viaducts, trenches and track from Merced to Shafter, just north of Bakersfield, could cost $9.5 billion to $10 billion, compared with the original budget of $6.4 billion.

The federal document outlines far-reaching management problems: significant delays in environmental planning, lags in processing invoices for federal grants and continuing failures to acquire needed property.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority originally anticipated completing the Central Valley track by this year, but the federal risk analysis estimates that that won’t happen until 2024, placing the project seven years behind schedule.

The report, the most critical official assessment of the project to surface so far, is labeled a “confidential-draft deliberative document for internal use only” and was presented by senior Federal Railroad Administration executives to California rail authority board Chairman Dan Richard and Chief Executive Jeff Morales on Dec. 1 in Washington.

This analysis puts the state on notice that it could face bigger cost overruns than anticipated and much longer delays than have been made public, a troubling critique by an agency that has been a stalwart supporter and longtime financier of the nation’s largest infrastructure project.

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[SirLinksALot]

It took us less than 2 years to build the Empire State Building in the height of the great depression. Now every major building project in this country takes at least 5 years (and at least 2 years just to finish talking about it).

[IsailedawayfromFR]

This was so predictable.

I really do not care, as long as no taxpayer outside of CA is paying for any overrun.  Wish we didn't have to pay for any of it for sure.

[Sanguine]

And,  some in Texas want something similar.

[mountaineer]

This was so predictable.

Indeed. Who didn't see this coming down the track?
(Sorry, I just had to say it!)

[IsailedawayfromFR]

And,  some in Texas want something similar.

Won't happen in this state.

Perry tried something similar in his Mexican truck hwy and barely escaped.  Just too many private landowners who do not like eminent domain pelted on their backs.

And the new legislature is now coming in session and a really big push is happening to strengthen the private landowners' rights even further.

[Sanguine]

Won't happen in this state.

Perry tried something similar in his Mexican truck hwy and barely escaped.  Just too many private landowners who do not like eminent domain pelted on their backs.

And the new legislature is now coming in session and a really big push is happening to strengthen the private landowners' rights even further.

I hope you're right. We need to remain alert and informed - remember much of our vocal and voting urban populations are not your traditional Texas voter.