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| Dirty Business as Usual at California High Speed Rail |
| 2013-04-28 |
| Out of the entire universe of those who could have won the first phase construction contract for California's high speed rail boondoggle, who would stand out as the last person who would win it if there were no political patronage. Put another way, who is the most likely person to win it if there is political patronage? Both questions have the same answer: Richard Blum, the husband of California senator Diane Feinstein. So, who won the contract? Blum, of course, as the principle owner of Tutor Perini, the lead firm in the three-firm consortium selected by the California High Speed Rail Authority. Yes, Diane, it really does look that bad to us little people. The Perini-Zachary-Parsons bid was the lowest received from the five consortia participating in the bidding process, but "low" is a relative term. The firms bid $985,142,530 to build the wildly anticipated first section of high speed rail track that will tie the megopolis of Madera to the global finance center of Fresno. Do the division, and you find that the low bid came in at a mere $35 million per mile. And that doesn't include the cost of rolling stock (that's engines and cars to the normal among us). Nor does it include the cost of electrifying the route. Does it at least include the cost of land acquisition? No, it does not. As this fiasco progress, remember that this $35 million per mile represents the best California can do on the section of track the High on Crack Speed Rail Authority selected to go first because it will be the cheapest. |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #5 Every time this crap comes up I will simply mention three words - 'Boston's Big Dig'. |
| Posted by: Raj 2013-04-28 19:22 |
| #4 "and we all know what assuming does" Begins with an ass. Or, in this case, a bunch of left-wing, corrupt (but I repeat myself) asses. >:-( |
| Posted by: Barbara 2013-04-28 09:37 |
| #3 $35,000,000 per mile. $6,628.78 per foot. $552.32 per inch. Average income in the State of California: $52,000, or 7 feet/94 inches. To build the entire 25 mile stretch, Put another way, it would take money equivalent to the entire yearly average income of nearly 19,000 to build that first stretch, assuming - and we all know what assuming does - that not another single penny is added to that cost. We know better; I see no reason whatsoever not to round that cost up to an even billion right off the bat. All of this for a railroad NO ONE WILL RIDE. If it was going down the coast it would at least make some sense, but it would never be allowed to take that route - far too many people would devote their lives to stopping it. This is nothing more than the usual transfer of wealth in the wrong direction. Mike Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2013-04-28 09:32 |
| #2 The units should be built in California, by the right Californians, and they should be green and sustainable. and lucrative if you catch muh drift. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-04-28 07:12 |
| #1 And that doesn't include the cost of rolling stock (that's engines and cars to the normal among us) Which are not, as of this time, going to be purchased "off the shelf". |
| Posted by: Pappy 2013-04-28 02:43 |