Advocates for California’s High-Speed Rail Line Speak of State’s Growing Transportation Needs

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December 15, 2011

Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail – 202-408-8362 [mobile: 202-320-2723]

Advocates for California’s High-Speed Rail Line Speak of State’s Growing Transportation Needs

The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure conducted an investigation today into California’s high-speed rail project, providing a platform for proponents of the Los Angeles to San Francisco line to make a case for the necessity of the train to meet the needs of the state’s rapidly growing population—and critics to air doubts.

The hearing was titled “California’s High-Speed Rail Project: Skyrocketing Costs & Project Concerns,” an indication of Committee Chairman John Mica’s disapproval of the project.  And the two panels* did in fact feature a number of Members of Congress and California residents who spoke against the line, citing the $75 billion price tag (in 2011 dollars), disruptions to personal property, and the choice of the Central Valley as the initial phase.

Advocates for the system were well represented, however, and were passionate in their defense of the train’s benefits.  Planners recognize that the state will need to build new capacity on the state’s transportation networks—by 2050, California will add more than 25 million additional people—more than currently live in the state of New York.  In the Central Valley alone, the population is expected to double to 12 million in the coming decades.  A study done by the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) found that, without high-speed rail, the state would need to spend $171 billion over the next 40 years to accommodate the same amount of growth in travel—buying 2,300 lane miles of new highway capacity, 115 new airport gates, and 4 new runways.

“We as Californians who use the [current transportation] system realize we need an alternative, and we need to invest,” said Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D), speaking of the congestion in Orange County, which she represents.  “We need to look at it and figure out how to make it work… It is never easy to do these projects, but if you want to and you have the guts to do it, you can get it done.”

Mayor Ashley Swearengin of Fresno was also there to help the project along.  She argued that the line—which would connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in just 2 hours 40 minutes—would bring substantially more private sector investment to the Central Valley than in the relatively more developed L.A. County and Bay Area, by plugging-in economic markets whose growth is currently constrained by poor transportation connections.  CAHSRA’s business plan estimates that the system’s construction will generate 100,000 jobs within the first 5 years and 1 million jobs over the life of the project.

“California is growing, and it will have to spend money to accommodate that growth one way or another,” said NARP President Ross Capon.  “Californians should be pushing their leaders to make sure it’s spent on trains, which reduce oil consumption and harmful emissions, create jobs, grow the economy, and move people quickly, comfortably, and efficiently throughout the world.”

*The first panel featured six members of California’s Congressional delegation: Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R), Dennis Cardoza (D), Devin Nunes (R), Jim Costa (D), Dana Rohrabacher (R), and Loretta Sanchez (D).  The second panel included Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo, California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Roelof Van Ark, Jerry Amante of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Fresno’s Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Greg Gatzka of the Kings County Community Development Agency, Elizabeth Alexis of Californians Advocating For Responsible Design, and Central Valley resident Kole Upton.