Monday, April 6, 2009

California High-speed Rail Project Timeline

Joshua Melvin
Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: 04/02/2009


1982 — The California state Assembly passes a bill authorizing the sale of $1.12 billion in bonds for the construction of a bullet train between Los Angeles and San Diego.

1984 — Due to lack of funding as well as opposition from environmental groups and local governments, the bullet train project is abandoned.

1993 — The Intercity High Speed Rail Commission is created to look into building a high-speed rail line between Northern and Southern California.

1996 — The California High Speed Rail Authority is created and put in charge of planning, constructing and operating a high-speed train system.

2007 — Two possible train routes through the Bay Area are considered. The rail authority's board of directors votes to send the train down the Peninsula rather than through the East Bay.

Nov. 4, 2008 — Fifty-two percent of California voters approve the issuing of $9.96 billion in bonds to build a portion of the 800-mile high-speed rail line.

April 6, 2009 — The deadline for public comment on what should be included in the project's environmental impact study.

2011 — Construction on the high-speed rail line is slated to begin.

2020 — Train service is projected to begin.

SOURCES: Reuters, California High Speed Rail Authority Web site

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's what bothers me about American arrogance. Japan had this problem in the 1960's. They realized that they needed a high speed train or else there will be a massive traffic overload beyond your wildest imagination. It was cheaper than to expand Haneda Airport (Old Tokyo International Airport) and cheaper than to expand freeways.

Too bad people in California don't realize how much high speed trains would solve this problem.