California High-Speed Train Route Finalized

A route from San Francisco to Los Angeles was added to the existing route planned from Sacramento all the way down to San Diego. The route would ferry passengers from San Fran to L.A. in less than 2 hours and 40 minutes using the Pacheco Pass.

The idea behind the California High-Speed Rail Authority is to increase mobility between the major cities while decreasing the air pollution and green house gas emissions that cause global warming. The route will cover a total of 800 miles of track and the trains will operate at speeds of 220 mph. The system is predicted to carry over 100 million passengers a year by 2030.

The route planned though the Pacheco Pass reduces the amount of impact on the environment and eliminates the need for another bridge, tunnel or crossing through the San Francisco Bay.

There is a proposition on the ballot this November, Prop 1, to give a $9.95 billion dollar bond to the California High-Speed Rail Authority to construct the train system and make improvements to existing public transport. The mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, states that “energy efficient high-speed trains are essential for the economic future of the Bay Area as well as the future of the state in terms of our competitiveness.” He believes there is no time like the present to get started on new and innovative ideas involving energy and transportation.