High-Speed Rail Project Faces Opposition

Chieppo says that "Opponents now include a plurality of Democrats and a majority of both Republicans and independents. Even 37 percent of those who supported the 2008 package say they've changed their minds."

The reason why many have changed their minds is due to a number of reasons.

"The projected cost of bringing high-speed rail to California also has nearly doubled, to almost $100 billion, since the 2008 referendum. And the project timetable has changed dramatically. In 2008, voters were presented with a plan to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco by 2020. It's currently estimated that the project would be completed in 2033."

Chieppo mentions that there are still those in favor of the project, and those advocates "point to the extensive rail systems in Europe and Japan. But Europe and Japan don't have vast, lightly populated areas between densely populated coasts."