High Speed Rail Versus Historic Tree
Hundreds of years old, the tree is a defining symbol in the city and of the University. Locals there are fighting to make sure the proposed high speed rail line steers clear.
"The tree stands within 10 feet of existing Caltrain tracks between the Menlo Park and Palo Alto stations, with commuter trains passing by 90 times every weekday. Initial plans by the California High-Speed Rail Authority called for widening the tracks to accommodate the new rail line, which would put the tree in jeopardy. Proposed alternatives included a trench or raised track.
To be sure, critics cite many reasons for their opposition, including the costs. But in Palo Alto and neighboring communities, the tree has become a budding symbol for why high-speed rail - approved by a majority of the state's voters in 2008 - needs to be evaluated carefully."
Topics
- Level of Service Canceled in Los Angeles
- The Deliberate Segregation of U.S. Cities, as Evidenced by Freeway Congestion
- Floating Train Bridge Arriving in Seattle
- Light Rail to Be Extended East of Los Angeles Again
- Pop Quiz: Cities and Obscure World Records
- Too Often, Children Are Forgotten by Transportation Planning
- The Climate Has Already Changed
- Study: E-Bikes Could Be Transportation Game Changers
- Shared Mobility Subsidies Dry Up, Revealing the Industry’s Economic Realities
- Voters Will Decide on $3.5 Billion Transit Funding Bond in Houston
- A New Kind of Planning Controversy: the Emoji House
- High Cost of Maintenance Prompts Wyoming Legislators to Consider Tolling I-80
- Large Doses of Skepticism for Chicago Casinos
- Autonomous Shuttle Service Up and Running in Brooklyn
- Rezoning for Larger Homes in a New York City Single-Family Neighborhood
- New D.C. Development Guidelines Require More Consideration of Walkability
- Toxic Algae Blooms, Explained
- Protecting the Pacific Ocean
- Shelter for Detained Immigrant Children Proposed for D.C. Neighborhood
- New High-Rises in Boston Pick Up Where Development Left Off 40 Years Ago
