After appearing to pick up steam this year, California's ambitious high-speed rail project hit a snag this week. Opponents are accusing the High-Speed Rail Authority of hiding higher cost estimates. The state insists that costs remain on track, although the trains may not be ready to run on time. Ben Bradford reports from Sacramento.
In January, after years of delays and legal battles, Governor Jerry Brown finally celebrated the groundbreaking for California’s High Speed Rail line.
Brown: “This is truly a California project, bringing us together, today.”
But a Los Angeles Times article contends the project is unworkable, partially due to what it calls a “confidential 2013 report” from consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff. The report estimates the cost of the project’s first leg at $8 billion above the state’s projection. That’s lit a fire under opponents, from Republican lawmakers to Stuart Flashman, an attorney suing the Rail Authority.
Flashman: “That should have been in the business plan, because it’s basically saying if things don’t go well, this is what it could cost.”
The Rail Authority also initially denied media and legal requests for the report. It’s actually a 20-page slideshow, marked “draft.” Board Chairman Dan Richard says political opponents are taking it out of context.
Richard: “We should be held accountable for the numbers that we publish and say “we’re going to build it for this.” If it starts to go awry, and they want to hang me out by my thumbs, or our CEO, that’s fine.”
Richard says the project’s $68 billion estimate still stands. The promised 2022 opening, however, could be delayed.
Richard: “So I’m not saying this will be some five year slip.”
Richard says staff are still determining how late.
Richard: “It’s not like I’m sitting on a secret PowerPoint somewhere that says it’s really going to be 2036.”
The Authority will publish revised time and cost estimates next year.
