Calif Democrats cry again about Road fund deficiencies (they cause by diversion) to fund HSR, post Court Decision!

Can you believe this "new" Democrat Politician, this new Senator Jim Beall and comrades, Assemblyman Rich Gordon, Senator Jerry Hill et al effort to suck even more monies fraudulently out of us motorists to fund their urban density transit, especially High Speed Rail, and deadly, motorist road congesting, deadly, outdated Caltrain, while continuing to actually leave our roads in bad shape--for another dip in motorist-funded financial troughs later?  Democrats cannot, nor will not, "solve" our road deficiencies, lest they dry up their funding sources for their wasteful, unnecessary, ever-larger, special-interest (read: campaign-contributor cronies) merry-go round.

Motorist-voters need to get back to dedicating motorist-derived monies (Taxes, Fees, Fines, charges,j surcharges, penalties) back only to the road users who generated them and therefore should benefit from them. 

Currently, motorist-derived revenues are more than ample to go around now,but Democrat Politicians like Beall, Hill, Yeager, Cortese, Liccardo, Kalra (yech!), Tissier, SFer Democrats, divert huge monies to low-efficient transit dangerous Caltrain-HSR placeholder, road diets that reduce automobility to coerce motorists "out of their cars" by restricting lanes to CAUSE congestion, reduce miles we travel, or, charge more to use the roads we paid, and are paying for, via new toll lanes, toll roads (SR152, I-15, I-405, and 800 miles of SF Bay Area one-freewauys. 

Senator Beall is being two-faced. He wants the monies to reduce our automobility (Democrat politicians hate independent people's mobility--w/o govt control) VMT. See his current bill SB628 that passed the legislature, but is being held now "pending the governors plan to implement cap and trade funding" diversion of motorist fees and gas taxes to C&T via Beall's Infratructure Financing Authority to launder the funds for, you guessed it: High Speed Rail's $7 Billion current funding deficit (to grow later) leverage from other, Private (read Public Private PartnershipToll Road-generated motorists funding).  Indeed, in April 2013, these and other Democrat Politicians who run the SF area Metropolitan Transportation Commission serving in their dual role as Bay Area Toll Authority that controls all Bay Area Highways and Bridges, voted that Bay AreaToll Revenues will go into this newly Democrat State Legislature created Infrastructure Financing Authority. 

Beall's support to eliminate State Routes 130, SR 82--to reduce automobile lanes (and formulated gas tax monies to SJ) for bus only lanes and road diets is another testimony to this now-arrogant, vindictive, in-office-too-long powerful politician "caring" chameleon (seniors and foster kid cover). This man is the once, but no longer, road advocate. Now, I suppose to stay in office, he has sold out to high-density developers and construction union supporters and motorist-human subordinating Sierra Club, who back HSR at all cost--to their benefit by sucking more money from motorist-voters by opposiing new/better roads in actuality. Beall has opposed SR152 for decades (despite family there) being converted to a divided, safe highway, toll-free. SR152 is designated to be a toll road, since at least 2006, to support HSR, literally by $billions of surplus toll monies. Same with SR85, no widening for the congestion/accident relief--except as a toll lane to screw motorist$ more--congestion priced--no limit--thanks to legislation this Dem, like all others in the Bay Area. Worse yet, no support for direct SR130 to I-5 Patterson to relieve I580/I680 congestion for Amazan, Kohl and other warehouses, Tracy et al and commuters. And, Beall also opposed BART to SJ to keep Caltrain as the 30-yr HSR placeholder, as announced essentially by Jerry Brown and Rod Diridon Sr on air interviews last year, 2012. We voted for SB83 $10 Vehicle fee and where is much of the money going? To Road Diets as part of Obama's Sustainable Livable Communities method to coerce motorists from their cars (Ray Lahood, March 2010 National Press Club speech), SmartGrowth (not), and One Bay Area.purposes, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Jose, road diets etc.

No malice intended, but Beall cannot be trusted now. Free speech, The "road" monies he wants NOW are directly or via displacement, a desperate attempt to generate more motorist funds for HSR (as a result of the recent HSR court decision) by an unflinching, Now anti-highway (was for SR85 and half-aborted SR87 to SR237), HSR-backer, Democrat Politician who is union-backed (see Vote Smart) and thus a body-snatched "Stepford Wife" robot, like all the one-party Democrat monopolists who rule the Bay Area. They deny us real road and mass transportation on our highways and BART that should run continuously around the whole SFBay, circular, bidirectional, replacing the outdated, deadly, traffic-congesting Caltrain.

Politicians should pass laws that once again revert road and motorist generated monies to go only to roads...roads that serve not only automobiles, but also trucks, motorcycles, paratransit, transit buses, utility vehicles of private and public entities, emergency vehicles, etc. 

LOL! Not possible by these anti-motorist, special-interest Democrat Stepford-Wife politician robots, of course. 

Today's daylong overturned 18 wheel flipped big rig that blocked Northbound I-680 near the Sunol CHP Truck Weigh Station is the third major multi-mile, multi-hour long, traffic clogging, and air polluting\ incident in the SJ-Central Valley I-580 and I-680 commute route in the past month.  
Both I-580 eastward congestion from the dangerously outdated Hopyard Rd+I-680 Interchange, these freeways are overcongested/overcapacity due to South Bay Bay's growth over the past decades since either they were built or expanded. 

I-580 east from I-680 was last widened in 1972 by two-lanes each way. It is time to get started to build the long-planned (SR130) direct freeway connection from San Jose to I-5 at Patterson to serve this growth in population, motorists, and business expansion on both sides of the Diablo Range. Patterson, CA, where SR130 would meet I-5 travelers from north, south, and east origins is now where new, large, retail distribution centers are located, Kohls, others, and newly under construction, an Amazon distribution center, as well as its new Tracy distribution center would use this new route over time.  

California needs a direct, low VMT access to/from San Jose (10th largest city in the US, Third largest in the US) to/from the growing Central Valley communities' jobs and homes. 

Once again, the myopic Democrats' Agenda 21, Sustainable Communities Strategy, One Bay Area Plan central government planning by the MTC/BATA and ABAG don't provide for such employment growth and related efficient expanded transportation needs. This SR130 reduces VMT beneficially by 55 miles EACH WAY from/to Patterson and from/to San Jose when compared to the current sole I-580 to I-680 route currently available.  

State Route (SR) 130's shortened VMT direct route benefits not only Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) gas/diesel fueled cars (about $5.00 savings in fuel each way), but also low and no emission, especially limited range clean electric, vehicles.

Coming to California soon.  Frequent HSR accidents and fatalities as in Europe and China et al.

1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23442956  (6 dead in Caltrain-like/HSR shared track)

2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-16345592 (40 dead, no electricity, Positive Train Control fails on second train).

3) http://www.france24.com/en/20100624-several-revellers-killed-high-speed-train-while-crossing- track-spain (13 ultimately dead crossing HSR track from Caltrain/Metrolink-like train)

STOP HSR in California now, for safety, finance irregularities and lies, waste, low-tech score, low bidder, and unconstitutional 2008 Ballot measure (January 2011 CA 3rd Appellate Court ruling HJTA C060441)

These are converse photos that news outlets ought to display every time news outlets quote anti-HSR forces. Converse of news outlets' display of (pre-crash!) blue and yellow "sleek" HSR renderings when discussing the stories.

CA HSR Contract to TPZP awarded for first leg, despite serious concerns. Better to fund key regional roads and transit for mobility

This comment was posted to the Orange County Register website report of today's award of the first major contract for CA HSR in the Central Valley to Tutor-Perini-Zachary-Parsons consortium for the stretch from Madera to Bakersfield, CA.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/authority-511625-bid-board.html

Typical HSR issues in that so many if not most WW HSR projects involve bribery or other corruption. Google HSR and Bribes and Corruption.  Seems like nothing new with Calif's HSR, from the pre-selection of SR152 route alignment, secret link with making it (and other CA"Trade corridors" routes) into Toll roads to help fund HSR operating cost (ala Paris-Lyon France HSR). A review of the now-ruled unconstitutional and illegal Nov 2008 Ballot Measure 1A( 3rd Appellate Court Case C060441, 1/28/11) campaign contributors is the who's who of rail project beneficiaries, including member companies of the TPZP consortium and other CA HSRA contracts.. A 2002 SJ Mercury News discusses Rod Diridon Sr's HSR shenanigans while on the Board (now USHSRAssoc Chair and Tax-gigolo funded "Mineta Transportation Institute Exec Director platform).  All the ballot numbers were wrong/fraudulent.  Even if this is built, the ballot "guarantees" nor intra-venously union-funded Democrats (and a few Repubs--Swearingen) in charge of, or pushing, this blue sky project have any civil or criminal penalty risk at all. Snake Oil at the expense of the taxpayer and govt. integrity.  A trip from SF to LA may take 6 hours or whatever, and no one goes to jail. The project is built on fraud.   Nevertheless, a recent SF Examiner article revealed the long history of Tutor-Perini cost overruns on many of their projects, with Mr Tutor making the same claims for "quality.  Overruns will happen here as well--with no repercussions, just as Parsons Brinkerhoff (a 2008 campaign contributor, like Parsons et al) already got a contract $96 million addition in May 2013.   What a waste of tax monies and union labor when they could be so much better for regional transit and highway improvements in:
Southern California  (Metrolink, Coaster, Red Line, I-5, SRs 14, 18, 58, 74, 76, 79, 90,138, US395),
Northern California (BART around the Bay, SR152-no tolls, SRs 20, 36, 37 (urgent!), 65, 84, 102, 130,  148, 238 etc) and
Central Valley (I-5 to 6 or 8 lanes from SR99-South to SR99-North or SR138 Grapevine, SRs 43, 46, 48, 58  65(Urgent) (from SR99 to Porterville), 140, 148, 65 (Roseville), 102, I-80,  etc).

Until the Calif Republican Party can update its brand and platform to serve the public, especially the Calif.car-loving motoring public/voters, including opposing any more toll roads/lanes (to fund HSR, especially), buying out all existing Toll Roads for all to use, then the CA Democrats can and will get away with all this!  Mr. Tweed, Democrat, might have been quite pleased with CA HSR

The fifth violent death occurred on May 27, 2013 due, in my road safety view, due to irresponsible removal of a critically important center median shoulder to make way for another lane (future toll lane is likely) that used to allow space for a disabled vehicle and safety zone for occupants.

Callous Caltrans (District 4) and distracted San Mateo County Transportation officials have removed the center safety shoulder median from this stretch of US101, such that a vehicle is only inches (less than 12" or so) from the center K-rail at 65 mph.  A car can easily hit or touch it, lose control, spin out, then the immobilized vehicle will get whacked from other fast-moving vehicles with no escape route or path available in the midst of 5 lanes of fast moving traffic on either side of the freeway.

US101 here, and other highways in this Caltrans district are thus, killing zones for disabled, unconscious, injured, or live and post-accident ambulatory motorists and passengers. No escape to safety is possible from the center area, nor for oncoming vehicles to dodge around a stopped car.

So, it is a multi-lane bloody, viciously violent road, from Broadway past SR92 since it was recently repaved to eliminate even a minimal median shoulder.  In some segments,  not even a right side shoulder exists anymore (Poplar). Her death is the Fifth most horrific and unspeakably violent death in the no-shoulder stretch between Broadway to Poplar to 3rd Ave. Sad, very sad, and so unnecessary from a highway safety viewpoint. I hope a very mean bulldog-type Personal Injury attorney gets involved to rectify and stop further tragedies of such beloved people here and elsewhere on such deliberately unsafe roads. 
Another SM County example is at I-280 at Edgewood where a tiny 4' median shoulder contributed to 2 deaths there, too, when that SUV got a flat tire and could not get completely off the fast (#1) lane, presumably.  Where else could they go? Certainly not across four lanes of traffic to the right shoulder at that time of day. 
This is a testament to San Mateo County Transportation agency, elected officials, and Caltrans disregard for the most basic roadway safety needs--that costs real people their lives in the most horrific way. Friends and family suffer lifelong pain.    Caltrans and local transportation agencies are eliminating too many safety shoulders here and elsewhere, but San Mateo County is one of the worst. Perhaps this is because their Transportation head holds three jobs in order to "earn" over $432,000/yr and is too focused on transit only.   But, he can do no justice to any of the three jobs by holding all three.  Too many violent, vicious road deaths occur in San Mateo County, in my view.

It is ironic indeed, that the new Devil's Slide (SR1) tunnels have escape routes for accident and stalled vehicle occupants, as does the new Caldecott Tunnel, yet, Caltrans and local transportation agencies are eliminating such safety zones, shoulders, and routes. 

Reference Articles:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/crime/2013/05/woman-killed-fatal-accident-was-well-known-burlesque-performer

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Ten-Injured-After-Party-Bus-Crash-in-Burlingame-209003281.html

About the tragic limousine fire on the San Francisco Bay's San Mateo Bridge on Saturday, May 4, 2012....  

Every driver should have the $12 Emergency Hammer (multi-function, seat belt cutter, too) in their car, especially Limosines or other very closed vehicles. The tool, available at any auto parts store and some big box stores, quickly shatters automobile windows for easy escape in cases where the doors won't open due to crash damage, submerge in water, or, fire, such as this limo tragedy. See: 
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/life-hammer-escape-tools.html?gclid=CI-K4IL-i7cCFc47OgodIXQAgw I have no affiliation with this company, of course.

Reference article: 
http://mountainview.patch.com/articles/experts-ponder-what-trapped-the-limo-victims-11693ebe#comment_7253308

S.F. Bay Area's...I-580 comments:

The Westbound I-580 to I680 South (to San Jose) and North (to Walnut Creek) is in desperate need to be upgraded/rebuilt into a high-capacity, high-speed freeway-to-freeway interchange.

This interchange has motorists suffering almost daily accidents, some fatal due to semi-truck involvement and the Hacienda and Hopyard line-of-sight limitations due to their undercrossings, and, the grossly inadequate signage and lane space for traffic to line up and stack to handle the decades-long outdated old interchange.   Indeed, after the BART line was installed in the Westbound I-580 median, Caltrans forgot to move the line-up sign with arrow to the right (the whole freeway was moved over one lane) and a couple of fatal accidents occurred, I called Caltrans to advise them that the sign was pointing to the wrong lane, second from the right, instead of the rightmost lane where the newly aligned lane would line up to the I-680 interchange, especially to San Jose (I-680 South).   Instead of moving the sign and arrow to the right, Caltrans "saved a buck, but killed a motorist" by simply removing the sign's arrow, leaving the sign to simply display "San Jose".   More signs are needed to properly segregate through traffic from I-680's two directions and further west, Foothill Blvd.

Another key contributor to the congestion of I-580, is the lack of the long-planned State Route 130 (SR130) which was designed to pull traffic to/from San Jose directly to Interstate I-5 at Patterson.  It is long past time to get the process started to study, fund, and built SR130 to accommodate and balance out traffic to San Jose, the third largest city in California, San Jose, with over 1 million motorist-inhabitants and the central Central Valley and all point East between SR152 (Pacheco Pass) and I-580, I680, and reaching to reduce traffic as far as I-80 to/from Sacramento and points East, North, and South (I-5).

I-580 lingering daily and weekend congestion and accidents is just another indication of the failure of MTC/BATA which seems more interested in social(ist) engineering, tolling--not fixing or expanding our highways--under the MTC/BATA's modern day motorists' Caligula, Steve Heminger, Executive Director, in conspiracy with the Democrat monopoly of politicians who sit on the MTC/BATA Board of Directors.

More to come....  

It turns out that during Governor Jerry Brown's China trip a couple of weeks ago, and, despite his strong and expressed desire for state-owned China companies to invest in California projects whilst he was touring China, the California HSR project the foundational two San Francisco Lennar housing projects at Hunter's Point and Treasure Island that were propositioned fell through first. This, apparently because of the US tax and other laws require transparency (per SF Chronicle's Andrew Ross column) and possibly an unwillingness of SF Mayer Ed Lee and others to succumb to the deep level of involvement that the Chinese insist upon when they agree to build major infrastructure projects, as is normal in third world developing nations, notably Africa but also southern Asia.

Nevertheless, keep an eye on China investment for future HSR contracts because China's state-owned companies can easily be low-bid contract costs.

Best regards.

=====Original Post: 03/26/2013=============
Calif. HSR and China ... Is the big dig Central Valley contract imminent?

The Daily Caller article about California Fracking (03262012) triggered this additional Freemotorist Comment from Jerry Brown's comments about Fracking: "we’re not jumping on any ideological bandwagons,” Brown added" 

Freemotorist follows-up on Brown's comment to extend them to the majority of Californians High Speed Rail concerns and, now, polled HSR opposition majority:
Righto, this from a man who had three full blown corruption events under his Oakland mayorship, accepted California public unions' collective bargaining--which neither his father-governor, nor FDR did knowing the likelihood of corruption. The obvious, corrupting, conflict-of-interest that has corrupted politics that turned California to a dirty brown state from The Golden State that Hiram Johnson so carefully set up to keep politics clean. 

Brown eagerly pursues this terrible, unnecessary, sneaky (you haven't seen anything yet!), dishonest, fraudulent, and, of course, bankrupting PPP-Corporate Cronyism. Just see the Nov. 2008 HSR campaign contributors (and those names who gave through Labor's Calif. Alliance for Jobs (CAJ) organization as well), then compare the list to the current Cal HSR contractors and vendors--wow, what a fantastic ROI! for some.
Brown wants to add this California High Speed Rail (HSR) project for his mantle via the corrupt and ruled unconstitutional fraudulent Nov. 2008 ballot measure (3rd CA Appellate Case ( http://www.hjta.org/press-releases/pr-jarvis-wins-major-victory-california-voters ).

--China's state-owned Railway Corporation Group will be the low-bidder (and riddled with corruption like most HSR projects worldwide) to kickoff construction in July 2013 between Madera and Bakersfield. http://www.cahsrblog.com/2010/12/siemens-and-kawasaki-angry-at-chinese-hsr-plans/

I expect an imminent announcement during or before Brown's China trip this April 2013 (next month). 

Here's why I believe the pieces to award the major construction contract to China are in place:
-- Brown's April visit, ostensibly to visit the newly reinstated California Trade Offices that will facilitate this and other investments in California, especially San Francisco (Folsom St project, etc)

-- Secy of State John Kerry plans to visit China in April as well (CCTV)

-- China's Xi Jingpin was elected up from VP to President, 2 wks ago, for the 10 year term. (CCTV
-- --Brown met with Xi Jinping last Feb. 2012 in LA to beg China's involvement in CA HSR.(Multiple sources, per web search) http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/02/16/chinese-vice-president-to-visit-la-thursday/

--The newly reconstituted China Railway Corporation Group which was $300 Billion in debt from all of China's rail and its other infrastructure construction projects in China and developing nations. (CCTV). HSR debt is a major components of 3 of the 5 financially troubled 5 EU PIIGS countries.

--Thus, China Railway Construction (CRWOY?  stock symbol) is now positioned early and swiftly to "invest" and manage the California project as one of its "Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) lead contractors.  California Labor will love this, eh? 
-- China Railway was inserted into the huge Lennar (think Pelosi kin) SF 12,500 Hunter's Point housing project as General Manager as part of the contract.  (SF Examiner, by Will Reisman., December 2013 and on-air KCBS a.m. Commentary by Phil Matier) 

--Not coincidentally, San Francisco is the northern terminus of CA's proposed HSR and Caltrain commuter rail electrification construction project and MOU.  (Bay Area News Group, SJ Mercury News et al). 
Note: Sun Tzu: The Art of War:  wrote "Be Swift" ("The Nine Grounds" chapter) and "One who takes position first on the battleground and awaits the enemy is at ease." 

--The November 2012 Prop. 30 tax ballot measure now provides the $180Million/year bond interest payments from the General Fund.  This, rather than to support California's needy courts, education, public safety, health and welfare programs that were cutback, as the voters were led. 
--New Prop. 30 new taxes will pay for HSR's California Infrastructure Revenue Bond sale of over $3.3 Billion of the last week or so. (KCBS) 
This provides the California financial security to China and other PPP members.
Yep, Jerry Brown, unlike his destructive "small is beautiful" first term, now has no idealogy, . Such is this failed Jesuit free-spirited Democrat governor.

More corroboration about an impending China-California HSR announcement, I believe..

--Treasury Secretary Lew was in China last week.  (CCTV)

Remember, Federal $3+ Billion will be involved in Calif. HSR, is not stalled by the Federal Sequester issue, thus, providing more assurance to the Chinese to invest in the HSR project.

--As recently as late last month, CEO Jeff Morales confirmed the project is on track to start construction in July 2013 in the Central Valley.  (Bay Area News Group).

--As Melissa Griffin mentioned in the March 24, 2013, S.F. Examiner article about the Democrat Legislature's denial of Senator Harkey's request for an HSR audit  of contracts already let,"...Speeding Out of Control", California taxpayer's can expect that the less-than-scrupulous HSR project contracts will have deliberate  huge and exceptional cancellation clauses' penalties to dissuade opponents of the HSR project and voters in a future initiative from killing the project.

It is important to remember that California politicians, ex-politicians/rail zealots, and their hired consultants who peddle these snake-oil tax-funded public projects with deliberate and fraudulent, exaggerated or understated, numbers (2.5 hours to LA, $40 Billion in 2008 ballot for the whole, ultimate project, exaggerated ridership and alternative highway costs, etc) are have never been subject to civil fines, penalties, let alone well-deserved fraud or racketeering criminal charges, jail, and fines.  They ought to be. Crimes, like those that private individuals would face for defrauding a public entity so openly,  would clean up a lot of this crap, save tax dollars, and right California's finances, and be sure that those who do this in tax-funded project after tax-funded project for their own glory--won't do it again...they would be in jail!

Omar

In a recent exchange with a new Civil Engineering graduate who lives in Newark, Ca, but whose first professional job he snagged is up I680 in Walnut Creek, Ca, the importance of California's freeway system for our economic vitality became immediately apparent.  

Our freeways, and thus our economically beneficial auto-mobility are being deliberately starved for funding in the S.F. Bay area by the Democrat monopolized  Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Bay Area Toll Authority members. They are led by the Executive Director, Steve Heminger, the modern day Herod-like Bureaucrat of the Single Occupant Vehicle driver; buttresed by Democrat-approved anti-automobile state legislation from the likes of our Senate's Socialist Pro-Tempore, Darrel Steinberg's SB375 (it demands a reduction of VMT without regard to VMT-to-GDP benefits, etc) and Fran Pavel's original AB32.  

I welcomed the new grad-new hefty salaried engineer to the real world of salaried, upwardly mobile exempt professionals who pay a lot of taxes which, in turn, get redistributed to those less desirous to make the sacrifices necessary earn a living in long days, often around 12 hours per day and who must suffer from MTC/BATA's socialist, social engineering transportation policies.  The latest of these are the expanding extortionist ripoff of Toll Lanes, such as those beginning in Democrat-monopoly led Santa Clara County's SR237 which the SCC VTA recently proudly boasted of its success in garning more money from SOV drivers who, first paid for its toll lane, believing it wouldl be for all general "mixed use" drivers, but VTA then converted it to a carpool HOV lane for 8 hours per weekday, but now, has increased the hours of SOV exclusion extended so more SOV drivers will be coerced to either pay a Heminger-fetish of variable Congestion-Priced amount (approaching a $1.00 -per mile cost, with no firm upper limit), or, sit in the remaining two lanes each way for hours longer--and denied access even on off hours except for the few ingress/egress gaps.  All this increased Toll Lane-related congestion  

The coming I680 toll lanes, too, will make this newbie S.F. Bay Area salaried professional's bad, bad, bad,  SOV (Single Occupant Vehicle) commute more difficult and/or expensive, and later even worse, during future punishing (and wholly unnecessary) toll lane hours on I-680.  MTC/BATA extortion of precious earnings from desperate-for-employment wage-earners, including those who earn good salaries and contracts that are enabled only by their highway auto-mobility, is, to me, a nearly criminal perversion of the role of public servants, whether elected or appointed. 

Congestion-Priced toll lanes create congestion artificially in those bad, bad, bad, SOV lanes of freedom that will never be expanded as long as the Democrat's can coerce (per former Federal Transportation Secretary LaHood's 2009 speech to the National Press Club) to decide to use the government-induced congestion brought on by the scarcity of highway and lane funding reductions--and tolling to increase commute to/from work costs.

https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&gs_rn=7&gs_ri=psy-ab&gs_mss=lahood%20coe&tok=vTes3aS848KFikD_Df26ig&cp=22&gs_id=2e&xhr=t&q=lahood+coerce+national&es_nrs=true&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=lahood+coerce+national&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44158598,d.b2I&fp=897ba9997041d6f1&biw=1320&bih=916 

The newbie commuting engineer has an alternate transit opportunity, BART, which reaches from Newark to Walnut Creek, but, of course, to government his extra time to use even this frequent, high-capacity, backbone bay area rail transit service may not work for him due to his variable hours' exempt-type work schedule. I've asked that if he tries BART sometimes, his comments would be of interest and learn from, especially compared to the benefits of SOV freeway travel, coffee-in-the-car, music, hands-free conference call participation, and other conveniences,  My ultimate interest to have BART Around The Bay (my other blog), to replace the deadly, outdated, congesting, disjointed Peninsula Caltrain Killtrain (3 people already dead this year on its urban tracks, as usual and consistent with the 12-16 who die each year on its tracks, like clockwork). BART is safer and would be optimized and better balanced if it went all the way around the Bay, two ways, as a "one-seat" rail transit solution to meet burgeoning job growth in the Bay Area, especially Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. See other blog discussions earlier here and in the BARTAroundTheBay.blogspot.com site.

I commuted for 3 years from South San Jose to Livermore (contra-commute), then for a year to Redwood Shores, then 15 years to Palo Alto, all with long hours just to get and keep good job$ for a nice lifestyle and more.  This was ONLY enabled by our publicly-owned freeways to allow maximization of salaries matched to my education and experience, not where I lived (i.e., Ninotchka-like Soviet ABAG T.O.D. stack & pack housing). 

Thus, I am intrigued by his situation and thoughts on his new work/mobility experiences and the value of freeway-enabled auto-mobility, its induced economic freedom, economic growth (including more taxes!), economic opportunity, and time value benefit. The late California Assemblyman, Walter Ingalls (who fought Jerry Brown1/Gianturco to get an 8-lane design width for SoCal's I-15 corridor) said that many people who use freeways don't realize that they are the most heavily used public buildings in the state, only horizontal, that's all.  Unfortunately, Big Government, Social Engineering Control-your-life Democrats take them for granted so easily-- except to extort money from hapless motorist, taxpayer, victims (and voters!). 

   

Omar 

A Freemotorist

With all the fuss that the politicians are doing about the cutbacks to critical and essential services, we read nothing about discussions about cutbacks to wasteful or unnecessary subsidized bigger government programs like the wholly unnecessary project that has driven 3 of the 5 EU PIIGS countries into huge debt, and, even driven China's state-owned Railway Corporation into a $300 Billion debt load, that is, High Speed Rail (HSR).  

US HSR would be nothing more than a land-based SupeSonic Transport ("SST", aka EU's Concorde, and the Soviet TU144) that was supposed to be the future of "fast, efficient transportation" "all" developed nations were pursuing in the 1970's.  It was uneconomic (even with $6,000 seat cost one-way, first-class), and so heavily subsidized such that all that were built were finally mothballed, put in museums, or have crashed.  Recall that the Democrat Congress in 1969 refused loans or guarantees for the SST because the aircraft manufacturers said they could not fund SST development and, correctly predicted that the SST aircraft could not be profitable for them.  Same with HSR.   

Obama and the Repub's ought to cancel the US HSR program, except perhaps the NE Acela Corridor. It is only being peddled out west by 30 year-long+ taxpayer funded gigolo-leech politicians, crony capitalists, and  specially created taxpayer-funded "advocates".  It is an invitation to Tammany Hall-like corruption and transit fraud. 

This must be stopped in the sequester funding cutbacks before California's Gov. Jerry Brown goes off to China in April to announce the contract award for the first phase construction that is scheduled to start near Fresno, CA in July 2013.  

Stop HSR featherbedding now!  

Create real US jobs, union jobs, and ancillary jobs x5 with housing construction! 

Omar