The $4.7 billion high speed rail bond appropriation, signed by Gov. Brown on July 18 included $2 billion for transit upgrades in the Bay Area and Southern CA. Max Taves reports that litigation in the Central Valley could target that funding.
Central Valley and San Francisco peninsula attorneys representing groups that have sued the California High-Speed Rail Authority warn that they are going after the ‘bookend' investments that upgrade local and regional rail lines in southern and northern California.
"The biggest share of the funds approved this month, $700 million, is to go to Caltrain, the rail line connecting 42,000 commuters each weekday from Gilroy and San Jose to San Francisco."
"Kings County, for example, is suing the California High-Speed Rail Authority, claiming the path of the future high-speed line through the Central Valley county would hurt its ability to deliver services and disrupt private farmland. The county alleges misuse of high-speed rail funds and says the legislature is disregarding the intentions of voters, who in 2008 passed Proposition 1A, which approved $10 billion in borrowing by the state to fund construction of high-speed rail."
"Spending money on Caltrain (electrification) 'was really meant to curry favor with San Francisco politicians' to get their support for the larger statewide high-speed rail plan, says lawyer Michael Brady, who filed the suit on behalf of Kings County."
And no mercy was spared on Caltrain by the attorney representing citizens and groups on the Peninsula, even though they would benefit from the faster, quieter, emissions-free transformation from diesel to electricity for the trains serving their neighborhoods.
"Gary Patton, a Santa Cruz-based lawyer representing the Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail, a group of private citizens in Bay Area cities who oppose the rail project, says the coalition has also been closely watching Caltrain's plans to use Prop 1A funds for electrification."
"We're going to do everything we can to stop that," says Mr. Patton.
Contributor's note: Access to entire article may be time-limited for those without Wall Street Journal subscription.
FULL STORY: Long Wait for the Arrival of Transit Upgrades

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie