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SilverNicktail t1_ja0jdvs wrote

Reply to comment by Iz-kan-reddit in High-Speed Rail Project Will Create Over 10,000 Jobs in California by gammapsi05

I know naysaying is an Internet sport, but I think the phase 1 delivery's getting a bit downplayed. Phase 1 is San Fan, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield, Burbank, L.A. and Anaheim. It's hardly nothing.

https://hsr.ca.gov/high-speed-rail-in-california/project-sections/

I dunno, I just get frustrated because people have bitched for decades about not having high-speed rail, and when a state actually does it they bitch about a 1500km long public works project being slow and expensive.

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Iz-kan-reddit t1_ja13s61 wrote

>Phase 1 is San Fan, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield, Burbank, L.A. and Anaheim. It's hardly nothing.

Despite the label of Phase 1, that's actually Phase 2. The real first phase, is Merced to Bakersfield. They're being really disingenuous when they include the Bay Area and So Cal in Phase 1, considering they won't be served for years after the Merced to Bakersfield section is up and running.

> and when a state actually does it they bitch about a 1500km long public works project being slow and expensive.

It's exploded in cost and timeframe several times over from what it was sold as when it was voted on. The system was to be operational by 2020, for a cost of about $34 billion. The price is now ranges from $88 billion to $128 billion, and even the high end estimate makes questionable assumptions.

Hell, I enthusiastically voted for this, but it's grown into an utter boondoggle. It will, however, be a pretty good system for the Central Valley.

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SilverNicktail t1_ja1505w wrote

OK, I think we're just arguing semantics at this point. The phases are further broken down into sections, and obviously some are going to come online before others.

> It's exploded in cost and timeframe several times over from what it was sold as when it was voted on. The system was to be operational by 2020, for a cost of about $34 billion. The price is now ranges from $88 billion to $128 billion, and even the high end estimate makes questionable assumptions.

But that's, like, every large infrastructure project. There's always stuff missed, contractors always talk horseshit to get through the bidding process, etc.

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Iz-kan-reddit t1_ja1grqc wrote

>OK, I think we're just arguing semantics at this point. The phases are further broken down into sections, and obviously some are going to come online before others.

There isn't even a projected completion date for Phase 1.

>But that's, like, every large infrastructure project.

Not to this extent. Even doubling in cost is rare, and this is set to break the percentage increase record set by the Big Dig.

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