High-Speed Rail Faces Federal Hearing

Stakeholders in California's high-speed rail project went before federal lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Thursday to address questions about the project's skyrocketing cost estimates and other aspects of the plan.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee convened members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority and mayors from Central and Southern California who say the project will bring thousands of jobs and improve the state's economic competitiveness.

The hearing also included comments from farmers and community members who say that high-speed rail hasn't been properly studied and will hurt agriculture and bring down property values throughout the state.

Burlingame officials and residents have long been against the current plan for High-Speed Rail, often questioning the business plan and ridership and environmental studies.

In November, the High-Speed Rail Authority released a revised draft business plan that more than doubled the eventual cost and duration of the construction phase, estimating it would cost $98 billion to build and take until 2033 to complete.

Committee member Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, called the rail authority's plan to construct a 180-mile first phase of the project from Merced to Bakersfield a "train to nowhere," and questioned whether private entities would ever invest the money needed on top of state and federal funding to complete the entire system.

--Bay City News