California still hasn’t bought land for high-speed rail route that’s set to be built in July
The complexity of getting federal, state and local regulatory approvals for the massive $68-billion project has already pushed back the start of construction to July from late last year. Even with that additional time, however, the state is facing a risk of not having the property to start major construction work near Fresno as now planned.
It hopes to begin making purchase offers for land in the next several weeks. But that’s only the first step in a convoluted legal process that will give farmers, businesses and homeowners leverage to delay the project by weeks, if not months, and drive up sales prices, legal experts say.
One major stumbling block could be valuing agricultural land in a region where prices have been soaring, raising property owners’ expectations far above what the state expects to pay.
“The reality is that they are not going to start in July,” said Anthony Leones, a Bay Area attorney who has represented government agencies as well as property owners in eminent domain cases.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Maybe they can buy some land in Detroit and put it there.
That makes just as much sense as what they’re doing now.
ajacksonian on January 27, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Through liberalism, all things are possible.
steebo77 on January 27, 2013 at 8:11 PM
Eminent domain!
It’s for the children!
PattyJ on January 27, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Everyone can get off and take a shuttle bus to where it starts up again.
Ted Torgerson on January 27, 2013 at 8:13 PM
They are probably just going to tax and borrow for it and then spend it trying to keep from going bankrupt. And then when that doesn’t work, we get to bail them out. Is this a great country or what?
Cindy Munford on January 27, 2013 at 8:14 PM
Buy land? Why?
Isn’t it going to be a subway?
ajacksonian on January 27, 2013 at 8:17 PM
how about a dozen bicycles chained together, and everyone says chugga chugga chugga chugga, just like a real train!
Ted Torgerson on January 27, 2013 at 8:17 PM
I suppose this has already been asked and answered and thoroughly hashed out… but doesn’t the state already have commuter air service on this route? How could there ever possibly be a breakeven point fiscally? Maybe there will be local service stations that will serve those further from commuter airports (tongue up against cheek – hard) but hasn’t AMTRAK demonstrated that this is a loser in commuter states?
ericdijon on January 27, 2013 at 8:26 PM
Who needs land for a train in My Progressive Little Ponyland?
Unicorns are going to pull the Good Train Lollipop over a cloud path carved out by teddy bears, rainbows, and butterflies.
Resist We Much on January 27, 2013 at 8:26 PM
You have forgotten one important question before that one:
Does ANYONE travel this route AT ALL?
Now that is a really important question that hasn’t been asked at the highest levels…
ajacksonian on January 27, 2013 at 8:30 PM
What difference does it make?
It will be a model train for the nation.
Drained Brain on January 27, 2013 at 8:34 PM
Of course California hasn’t purchased the land to build their silly railroad! They were never intending to BUY it when they can just TAKE it…
Browncoatone on January 27, 2013 at 8:35 PM
And they shall follow in the path of Gomez Addams!
ajacksonian on January 27, 2013 at 8:36 PM
But, But, it passes through the breeding ground of the of the endangered bat eared moth! And what about the threatened camel toed twentysomething? After the introduction of the unnatural predator, Expresidentus Arkansasus, their numbers have dwindled. We cannot risk losing these beautiful creatures!
Stop the train in the name of the environment!
trubble on January 27, 2013 at 8:41 PM
Maybe it’ll drive by Wyatt’s torch on this inevitable journey.
lorien1973 on January 27, 2013 at 8:48 PM
there’s lotsa fellers there clamoring to be the caboose…. IYKWIM
ted c on January 27, 2013 at 8:56 PM
put the final stop in Algore’s living room.
ted c on January 27, 2013 at 8:57 PM
They can’t build it. It’s not expensive enough, yet.
trigon on January 27, 2013 at 9:02 PM
What about all the environmental (NEPA), historic (SHPO) and tribal (THPO) studies, notifications and responses that are required after the property is acquired? 18 months minimum? Or do the Nomenklatura exempt themselves from such things?
forest on January 27, 2013 at 9:29 PM
You don’t need land for an imaginary train.
Meric1837 on January 27, 2013 at 9:32 PM
Huh? I thought the whole thing hovered in the sky and you didn’t need land.
BL@KBIRD on January 27, 2013 at 9:48 PM
Absolutely stop this. All the variants are at risk. The Golden Camel Toe, the Red Tailed Camel Toe and the Bald Camel Toe!
BL@KBIRD on January 27, 2013 at 9:57 PM
No breeds or variants of “Reds” are at risk in California.
Resist We Much on January 27, 2013 at 10:48 PM
The Teeming Hordes of Passengers for Future Bullet train
PattyJ on January 27, 2013 at 11:13 PM
Thing is, we ALREADY have a rail corridor from LA to San Francisco. There actually IS a smart role for government to play here. They should take that existing line, make it state property, upgrade it to higher speed, and then allow private companies to compete moving freight and rail over the line just like we do with the highway system.
Get the state out of the business of rolling stock and it owns only the road, and allow access to that road to anyone who wishes to use it. Dispatch traffic in a neutral fashion much like is done with the air traffic control system.
Open the railroads up to free enterprise competition.
crosspatch on January 28, 2013 at 1:32 AM
Meant compete moving freight and passengers.
crosspatch on January 28, 2013 at 1:32 AM
This land grab is not relevant to the real goals of the California Democrats.
The Democrats redefined ‘high speed’ as being the same speed as the existing local electric trains!
They are now using the ‘high speed’ money to support loacl rail systems in both the SF bay area and LA. With the cash flowing nicely to those communities, and their labor union coffers, they really do not care if there ever is a new train line.
Freddy on January 28, 2013 at 2:33 AM
Wow I feel bad for the land owners. I mean, I could see if it was for something like a highway that was majorly needed, but this is for a train that no one is going to ride. I recall hearing once about a property owner here in Oconomowoc who lot the house so they could build a parking lot for a community center THAT WAS ALREADY BUILT. There was also amply parking a block or 2 away for it, but they wanted something right next to the building.
watertown on January 28, 2013 at 5:59 AM
Since when has that been a consideration in government projects?
Um, we’re talking Democrats here. Duh!
Odysseus on January 28, 2013 at 6:09 AM