Brown Appointee To Lead High-Speed Rail Board

February 2, 2012 4:07 PM

A concept animation shows a possible implementation of the California high speed rail. (Credit: California Rail Authority)

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SACRAMENTO (AP) — The board overseeing California’s plan to build a $98 billion high-speed rail system chose an appointee of Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday to take over as its chairman.

The Democratic governor appointed Dan Richard to the California High-Speed Rail Authority board last year to help turn around a project that has come under intense criticism for its cost, ridership and route plans.

Estimated costs have more than doubled since voters approved selling bonds for it in 2008. In addition, the statewide system is expected to be completed in 2033, 13 years later than originally estimated.

Brown has maintained his support despite criticism of the project.

“The fundamentals of high-speed rail, the reasons why California should embark on high-speed rail, are sound,” Richard told the board and about people who attended a hearing in Sacramento. “Having said that, we also know that our business plan probably can be improved in a number of ways. … As we revise our plans, I think people will see that we’ve been responsive to the public concerns.”

Richard is a former member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District. He replaces Tom Umberg, who stepped down as chairman last month but remains on the board.

The board also will begin the search for a new chief executive officer to replace Roelof van Ark, who announced his resignation in January.

Fred

Dan Richard was not a “member” of the district. He was an elected BART board member for one term. He made hias career being a consultant to independent energy companies like ENRON and then moved on to PG&E where is main task was to lead them through bankruptcy. He got the job because he was one of Jerry’s cronies from the first time he was governor, not because he has any particular expertise in transportation system planning or management, because he doesn’t have that expertise.
Mark

Ans, the cost will double again and then once more…. should be completed in 2025 at a cost of 800 billion or so. Estimated time to recover costs on ticket sales should be achieved around 2078 or the time flying cars with grid flight control are common form of transportation
Fred

You’re an optimist…
HIGH SPEED RAIL? LOL WHATEVER

It’s time to overturn our vote for high speed rail. We need to upgrade our freeways to eight lanes, especially along Interstate 5 from Redding down to Southern California, and along Interstate 80 between SF and Sacramento. Also, take that high speed rail money and improve our county roads, other state highways, and mass transit systems. That’s where our money ought to go to, instead of waiting 200 years for something that all of us will never see.
jackie

Desperate, need CBS help cannot find information on how many riders(a day) use train service from Northern Calif. to Southern Calif. rigth now. What transportation would folks use to get to their destinations after getting off the HSBT, how many stops and where, etc..
jay s

Bullet train would be like taking a space craft from Fresno to Modesto LOL, lol,lol.
jackie

Beware a fungus among us on this discussion…someone is attempting to give out a free virus. Trying to jam me up big time, pffffffffffffffft to ya
rmcsticks

lol