After years of planning, California now has the opportunity to start
laying the tracks for a proposed high-speed rail line connecting
Northern and Southern California.
Prop 1A on the November ballot will authorize $10 billion in bond funds to build high-speed rail.
California has a choice to make. On the one hand, we could hope that
by spending billions each year on roads and highways, we will meet our
transportation needs. But California’s dependence on cars comes with
high costs for our health and quality of life.
A better solution is on
the table. High-speed rail will allow Californians to travel from the
Bay Area to Los Angeles in two and a half hours, without the hassle of
the airport.
Although the price tag of $40 billion to build
the entire route may seem daunting, developing high-speed rail will be
less than half the cost of the road and airport expansions we’ll need
without it. For example, just meeting interstate requirements for
Highway 99 in the Central Valley and widening it to eight lanes would
cost between $20 and $25 billion.
For too long,
California’s leaders have let roads take precedence over other
transportation options that could help meet our travel needs with lower
costs and less pollution. Working closely with other high-speed rail
supporters, from business leaders to environmentalists, CALPIRG is
helping create the momentum needed to secure funding and start laying
the tracks.
Too Much Traffic, Too Much Pollution
California's population is expected to grow from 37 million to 50 million by 2030. Without transportation alternatives, that means more smog, gridlock, and long lines at the airport.
Commuters in California's biggest cities already waste 60-70 hours each year as a result of traffic congestion.
Forty-one percent of California's global warming pollution comes from cars. Current projections for growing car and airline travel will make it difficult to meet our state's commitments to reducing global warming pollution.
High-Speed Rail: A Better Choice
Developing high-speed rail will be less than half the cost of the highway and airport expansions we'll need without it. Learn more
High-speed rail could take up to 92 million drivers off the
road annually and attract 18 million travelers who would
otherwise fly. In doing so, high-speed rail would eliminate
the need for construction of 2,970 additional highway miles
and 91 airport gates.
High-speed rail uses one-fifth of the energy of cars to move the same number of passengers, significantly reducing our oil dependence and cutting pollution.
High-Speed Rail Is Good for the Economy
High-speed rail will create nearly 160,000 construction-related jobs to plan, design, and build the system.
An additional 450,000 permanent jobs are expected to be created as a result of the economic growth the train system will bring to California.
California's high-speed rail plan makes careful use of public funds, by using a mixture of state, federal, and private funds to build the rail line.
High-speed rail will reduce congestion on our highways. Congestion costs Californians $20 billion per year in wasted fuel and lost time.
Prop 1A Endorsements
Newspapers
Los Angeles Times
San Francisco Chronicle
San Jose Mercury-News
Fresno Bee
Organizations
American Lung Association
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce
California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
California Labor Federation
California League of Conservation Voters
California Nurses Association
California State NAACP
California Transportation Commission
Consumer Federation of California
Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
League of Women Voters of California
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Orange County Business Council
Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Labor Council
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
Sierra Club California
See a complete list
Learn more at:
http://www.californiahighspeedtrains.com
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov
