Politics & Government

Fate of High-Speed Rail To Be Decided Today

State legislators are expected to vote on and finalize a plan for California's high-speed system.

 

"With new money pledged for Caltrain, state's bullet train likely to pass today, officials say," from the San Jose Mercury News:

"California lawmakers will finally vote Friday on the plan to start building the state's high-speed rail project, and in a surprise twist, money for the polarizing bullet train will be tied to a deal that would save the popular Caltrain commuter service.

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gov. Jerry Brown's final bullet train funding proposal released Wednesday includes the last $705 million needed to electrify the existing train line between San Francisco and San Jose. The Caltrain money was supposed to be debated next year as a separate plan.

The money would fully fund a long-coveted Caltrain overhaul designed to steer the local agency away from bankruptcy, allowing it to emerge later this decade with cheaper and more frequent commuter service. It also would lay the groundwork for statewide bullet trains to zip through the Bay Area next decade."

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

READ THE FULL STORY BY MIKE ROSENBERG HERE.

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