The Los Angeles Times in a special piece dove deep into the California high speed rail project and found it likely over budget & late.
5 reasons why:
- No Settled Route. The deadline for phase 1 is 2022, and there is no set route throught the mountains. To connect L.A. and S.F. via high speed rail will require 36 miles of tunnels into the mountains.
- Rising Costs. The 1st phase, according to a confidential 2013 report, is 31 % over budget. The state has not used the state’s main project manager report for the project, and disreagrded the cost in its 2014 high speed rail plan.
- Voters approved bonds for a $33 billion project. The estimated cost is at least $68 billion.
- Litigation delays. Eminent domain that hits the courts takes time and casues project risk.
- Permit delays.
In 2012, the cost estimate for the project had risen to $98 billion. The cost estimate was trimmed to $68 billion by elimating service from LA to Anaheim and from SF to San Jose.