The alternative plan directs a sizable percentage of the initial $6 billion allocation to the Bay and LA regions to upgrade existing commuter lines at the expense of greater investment in the Central Valley. Funding plan may be determined by July 6.
Lance Williams describes the "proposal devised by state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, chairman of the Transportation and Housing Committee" to invest more heavily than the High Speed Rail Authority would prefer in the two 'bookends' of the high-speed-rail project.
The project was already greatly downsized to do just that - but with lesser amounts of funding for the two metropolitan rail systems by adopting a 'blended approach' that would electrify Caltrain in the Bay Area and improve the Metrolink corridor in the LA area.
"According to rail advocates who have been briefed on the idea, Plan B's top priorities include:
Reaction from HSRA: "There are no legal, practical or contractual ways to move the money out of the Central Valley," Chairman Dan Richard wrote. "The Authority's revised plan (see Richard's "progress report" video) already makes major investments to rail across the state."
Thanks to California League of Conservation Voters
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