subject: Another $902 Million for California's High Speed Rail System Sure to Help Economic Recovery [print this page] Another $902 Million for California's High Speed Rail System Sure to Help Economic Recovery
Californians are on their way to building a new transit system which could have a radical effect on many aspects of living in the state. California is planning to build a high-speed rail system with electrically-powered trains running between San Francisco and Los Angeles with other destinations planned for later stages of the project.
In addition to the over $12 billion that has already been allotted for the state project, there has recently been another $902 million in federal funding to help fuel the project onward. The Governor voiced his hopes on his website about the effects this project is predicted to have on the state.
"These additional funds are a tremendous vote of confidence for California's high-speed rail project. As the nation's largest infrastructure project, California's high-speed rail system will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, reduce pollution, boost economic growth and link Californians from one end of this great state to the other."
The California High-Speed Rail Authority says that the project will cost over $40 billion and take about ten years to build. The train system will include electric trains capable of speeds up to 220 mph with plans for 800 miles of track with 24 stations, drastically cutting transportation times between cities.
The high-speed rail project will create many employment opportunities in California, a state with 12% unemployment; it is anticipated that the construction, operation, and maintenance of this system will create tens of thousands of jobs across the state with the potential for many more jobs in service areas that will be created in and near the train stations. The lowered cost of transportation with this system is also anticipated to support to use of these high-speed trains as a more economic option for Californians.
Shipping and transportation in areas of California are anticipated to be vastly improved by this new system due to the decreased time that it will take to get places and the reduced amount of traffic on the freeways. The reduction on car and truck traffic on the freeways will also help reduce carbon emissions in the state.
The rail system itself will also be a far more environmentally friendly option for travellers because electric trains are far more energy efficient as a mode of travel than either plane or car and can also utilize energy from renewable sources.
The state expects that areas along the anticipated path of the rail system will benefit from the greater connectedness to other parts of the state and enjoy economic revitalization for many years to come as a result.
