One of the country’s most controversial public-transportation projects is about to commence, as the long-debated California high-speed rail (HSR) project is set to finally break ground this week.
Since its conception, the HSR effort—whose final result will create a 220-mph train line between San Francisco and San Diego—has met with setbacks and resistance. The projected cost of the project has steadily increased over the years, now at a price point of $68 billion.
The project team will build the system one leg at a time, beginning with the Central Valley around Fresno and Sacramento. After that, the plan is to focus on San Francisco and Los Angeles, two of the biggest hubs for the network.
When completed, the trip between San Francisco and Los Angeles will be possible in three hours, as opposed to nearly six hours by car, which will greatly aid traffic management in both metro areas.
