Reported in the LA Times and elsewhere:
The project is now estimated to cost $98.5 billion. It had originally been estimated at $34 billion and then revised to $43 billion. Of that they are projecting that private investors will contribute 20% (???). Additionally the completiion date is now year 2033, revised from 2020.
I recall comments at this site a few years ago which predicted numbers like these. Anyone ready to extrapolate further with your predictations?
Capital public radio was going to do an hour show on it today starting…well 10 minutes ago. Alas, I cannot listen.
I’m not particularly surprised the costs have risen. For both legitimate engineering reasons and for bureaucratic government reasons.
I still think it is something that must be accomplished. I’m rather disappointed on the new completion date though.
With the financial escaladio being practiced on the California Hi Speed Rail. You have to wonder if it will ever get off the ground. Sort of reminds one of a couple of Depression Era bankers; standing on the corner trying to sell apples to people without jobs.
This project kinda reminds one of MR Skinner’s seeing railroads on Mars. A hopefully(?) grandiose idea built on wishes and dreams, with just a tinge of a real possibility? Maybe they can contract with the aliens that live under the ocean off Catalina Island?
Maybe a more realistic plan is to wait a few million years until the San Andreas Fault moves LA far enough north that it abuts San Francisco.
Mac
Here’s more for the mix…
Another site is now disclosing that the $98.5 billion has the CA HSR terminationg at San Jose and at Santa Clarita. Then the existing public systems would complete the journey (after a transfer) to downtown SF and to Anaheim. Possibly a 7-8 hour or more in transit time between the two.