Kelly Blanton

10-16-2012

Composition 2

California High Speed Rail and its effect on Californians, Farmers and businesses

California High Speed rail is a high speed train from Los Angles to San Francisco. This train is estimated to cost around $87 billion ( McCardle, 2011). This train is the answer to California’s congestion problems, taking cars off the road and ending the need to build more road and highway infrastructure as well as being environmentally friendly and it is all electric and emits no harmful emissions. The train is promised to travel from LA to San Francisco in 2 hours 40 min (CAHSR, 2012). Construction is expected to create over 40,000 jobs (CAHSR, 2012)

The California high speed rail train is good for the central valley, and good for both southern and northern California as it ties them both together Californians could be able to commute, visit family or do business across the state in under 3 hours, some traffic jams last that long. The productivity increase is also a benefit to California businesses as that time wasted in traffic is now spent productively and in comfort on the train working on completing projects. California will also benefit as it will be the first state to have “green” transportation.

Some central valley farmers have not been happy though they think the train is a burden. It will split up my farm and destroy the value of the land as well as make it hard to farm (Macaluso, 2011). Farmers that have been farming the land for generations don’t want the train and just want to continue farming the land. So it is sad that people who don’t want the train are getting it, could we find a way to route the train through land that isn’t someone’s farm or a nature preserve? It’s difficult as CA is full of NIMBY’s but even the politicians are standing firm.

What are the effects of California High Speed rail on business interests? Positive, as a former resident of Atwater, CA near Merced the inaugural first section the business impacts will be very positive. The central valley is mainly irrigation land and is sparsely populated so high speed rail will be a boost for the economy of California protecting it from the harmful environmental effects of fossil fuels and sprawl as well as fluctuating fuel prices (Martinez, 2012). Even current residents will benefit as housing prices rise in areas with high transit access. Who will not benefit from the train? Big oil, and they are spending big on making sure no one benefits and CA stays in the fossil fuel age. Attack ads against politicians supporting the plan have been plenty(McF, 2012). The big oil funded Taxpayer

network claimed that Julia Brownley voted for the “biggest tax increase in California history” and “a $68 billion train California can’t afford” (McF, 2012). The fact that only $9.95 billion was approved was forgotten, also the fact that it is cheaper than providing more road infrastructure or airport capacity as well as lasts longer that road infrastructure. So is California High Speed Rail sunk by corporate interests and naysayers? No, thanks to some politicians holding on like Governor Brown , funding is holding stong hopefully the people will hold on too and know it’s the best option.

The biggest problem facing California is money and how to finance California’s growing population. People want immediate benefits and actions and politicians can’t afford not to give them if they want reelection so a train is a difficult proposition. A high speed train will not have the greatest effect on the current generation but the one to come. Trains when everything is built solidly and maintained properly can last for hundreds of years. Europe is an example and their trains have been around for a long time. Europe also can provide the case study for the fact that people if given the option to travel by train will do so over cars.

The issue of “what’s in it for me?” is a difficult one to answer, as there is no immediate benefit to Californians this year or even by the next election however, once finished, California will be more environmentally stable and know that future growth will be partially in check, the train will not solve all of California’s transportation woes, efforts to curb sprawl as well as walkable neighborhoods and well developed transit systems that include buses, bicycles, light rail as well as cars all in harmony with each other. So there may not be much for you, but for your children and grandchildren, there will be a better transportation future.

Credit: Taxpayer network

Works Cited

Martinez, Michael. "Governor Signs Law to Make California Home to Nation's First Truly High-speed Rail - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 19 July 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/18/us/california-high-speed-rail/index.html>.

McF, Bruce. "Voices on the Square." Sunday Train: Is Big Oil Striking Back against the California Bullet Train Vote? N.p., 14 Oct. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.voicesonthesquare.com/essays/2012/10/14/sunday-train-big-oil-striking-back-against-california-bullet-train-vote>.

Lane, Charles. "California's High Speed Rail to Nowhere." California's High Speed Rail to Nowhere. The Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/californias-high-speed-rail-to-nowhere/2012/01/09/gIQAZQDamP_story.html>.

Sheehan, Tim. "Judge to Consider High-speed Rail Injunction Request." - High Speed Rail- Fresnobee.com. Fresno Bee, 26 Oct. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/09/26/3007787/judge-will-consider-request-for.html>

Michels, Spencer. "California Grapples With High-Speed Rail Debate." PBS News Hour. Public Broadcasting System, 01 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/03/high-speed-rail-battle-in-california.html>.

Macaluso, Michelle. "Proposed California High Speed Rail Route Cuts Through Farms to Protect Birds." Fox News. FOX News Network, 25 June 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/25/high-speed-rail-routed-around-environmental-site-affects-new-group-farms />

Mcardle, Megan. "California High-Speed Rail Project to Cost More Than Expected." The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/08/california-high-speed-rail-project-to-cost-more-than-expected/243481/