Infrastructure

High-speed rail mired in outrage

Reacting to a new analysis showing how California’s high-speed rail could stretch between Palmdale and Burbank, affected residents descended on downtown Los Angeles to voice outrage and anxiety before train officials. “The coordinated protest,” noted the Los Angeles Times, “presents a potent political challenge as state officials push to

House obstructs funding for CA high-speed rail, rail authority

Josephine Djuhana June 11, 2015

On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 2577, which blocks federal funding for the California high-speed rail and the California High-Speed Rail Authority. H.R. 2577 is the House appropriations bill determining financial support for all federally-funded

Bullet-train agency chided for deceptive claim

Chris Reed June 8, 2015

The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s first business plan warned that the project would struggle to attract outside investors without some sort of revenue or ridership guarantee. That led the Legislative Analyst’s Office to repeatedly warn such guarantees would be illegal

Hyperloop test track to break CA ground

James Poulos June 7, 2015

Elon Musk proposed it years ago. This January, he announced he’d enable teams to test it out on a track in Texas. But the first entrepreneur to ink a deal for a Hyperloop test track will bring the concept to life

In San Fernando rail showdown, echoes of Chavez Ravine

Chris Reed June 4, 2015

In the San Fernando Valley, there’s been intense opposition for years among its 1.7 million residents to having the state’s bullet train project cut through middle-class and poor neighborhoods and equestrian areas. Civic leaders, activists and property owners view the

Ratification of new port contract adds stability to West Coast ports

Josephine Djuhana May 27, 2015

According to a release from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, West Coast Longshore workers have voted 82 percent in favor of ratifying a new five-year contract with employers represented by the Pacific Maritime Association. “The negotiations for this contract

Road repair bill would raise transportation taxes, fees

Dave Roberts May 14, 2015

California motorists will each be paying an extra $900 over the next five years for road maintenance if Senate Bill 16 is approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. But that $18.4 billion increase in transportation taxes

VIDEO: Republicans can be environmentalists, too

CalWatchdog Staff April 29, 2015

In a conversation with CalWatchdog.com Editor Brian Calle, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer discusses the importance of preserving the environment and why it should not be a partisan issue. During the interview, Mayor Faulconer highlights the environment as our quality

Lawmakers dismiss efforts to protect property rights from high-speed rail

John April 28, 2015

State lawmakers are forcing property owners “all aboard” the state’s high-speed rail project – whether they like it or not. This month, two state legislative panels blocked efforts by Central Valley Republican lawmakers to guarantee the property rights of those

Unions central to Brown’s infrastructure plans

James Poulos April 13, 2015

Faced with a restive constituency disgruntled by drought, Gov. Jerry Brown has moved to execute on his plans for California infrastructure — a boon to labor unions, but a point of contention for his political adversaries. Train trouble As the Los