Draft 2024 Business Plan Comments - California High Speed Rail

Submission Date	Submission Method	Submitter Name	Original Message
2/09/2024	Website	Curtis Burdette	Please explain how you can give a cost estimate of something based on Year Of Expense when you can not give a year of completion for the work. This document states that the cost range of Northern California will be between $21.18 billion and $35.514 billion Year Of Expense. This document states that the cost range of Southern California will be between $31.908 billion and $52.807 billion Year Of Expense. This document states that the cost range of Phase 1 will be between $88.545 billion and $127.933 billion Year Of Expense. Please provide the projected completion year or year range that these figures are based on. Without providing the projected range of when work will occur, Year Of Expense totals do not have credibility.
2/09/2024	Website	Michelle Fiesta	I am so excited for the high speed rail project. I would like to see the transit authority prioritizing EXCELLENCE in the creation and execution of its planning. I want the California high speed rail to rival or surpass the quality, convenience, speed, and ease of use of the best high speed rail and rail transit in the world. As fast as Japan, as timely as Germany, as convenient as New York city or Paris, as clean as Switzerland. I want it to be so accessible and so available that I can just head to the train station at any time and know that it will get me where I need to go. I want it to connect the places that I want to travel - not just major cities, but also major destinations. Napa, Tahoe, Yosemite. I want it to be part of a network that is so interconnected and seamless that Europeans praise it and seek to emulate it. I want it to be affordable enough that a minimum wage worker can easily utilize it for a daily commute. I want it to connect outside of the state as well, moving all the way up to Portland and Seattle as well as all the way down to San Diego. I'm thrilled for this initiative and hope that the government sees how impactful and important this is for the economy of the west coast.
2/10/2024	Website	Daniel Tahir	Hello California Rail Nice to contact you We would like to be a part of your team and become a wholesale supplier of full range personal protective leather safety gloves, with the best quality and unbeatable market price, our leather gloves are quality products specially manufactured for the industries for welding and hard labor usage. Quality and supply first priority. Would like to get connected with the purchase manager or the personnel in charge of inventory, Open to exchanging samples and pricing options, Feel free to reach us out if you have any questions or queries.
2/10/2024	Website	Katz	Hello, It is clear that CAHSR does not currently have the funds to finish the high speed rail. However, it appears that CAHSR is currently missing the most obvious and logical revenue source: value capture. California taxpayers are investing billions of their dollars into building HSR, which will cause the real estate near HSR stations to skyrocket in value. It is both deeply fair and critical for CAHSR to capture the value of this increase in order to fund the construction that causes it in the first place. It?s worth noting that value capture is a common source of funding internationally for transit projects. One way to capture the value is for CAHSR to build dense apartments on the land it owns in and next to CAHSR stations. Another way to do so is to create a tax increment financing district, combined with state mandated upzoning, to cover real estate lots a half mile from CAHSR stations. CAHSR employees should brainstorm more ways to capture the value created by the CAHSR project. I look forward to CAHSR completing the high speed rail project as soon as possible, using as little public funds and as much value capture as possible.
2/12/2024	Website	Joseph Aramburu	I am 69 years old, and hope to ride HSR not only to San Francisco, and Los Angeles, but also to San Diego, and Sacramento. It is good to know that you are pursuing Federal funding, and a more diversified, and permanent source of state funding. Greenhouse emitters should be made to pay for projects such as HSR. It seems that the next phase(s) will involve tunneling through mountains; I would suggest that an education effort begin (presentations, videos, etc) explaining the process, and emphasizing that the best engineers and contractors will be working on the tunnels; this will help to head off media misinformation.
2/12/2024	Email	Craig Christenson	I sure wish you all would stop wasting our tax dollars on something that is grossly over budget and slow and never will be utilized by the public. This is a tragic mistake stripping people of the livelihood and property. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Just ducking over the public in California worst state ever.
2/12/2024	Email	Pat Blevins	With all the homeless and starving people in California and with all those needing healthcare and support for their mental illness .....WHY is the State still throwing billions of tax payer dollars after this boondoggle???? We have a huge budget deficit and therefore every penny of taxpayer money must go to helping the residents of Ca. and NOT raising our taxes any further on this pipe dream. Just end it NOW. I don't understand why the State thinks they have the money to endlessly put forth with NO evidence of progress in all these years??? Further, this huge, loud train CANNOT run through Coyote Valley. Those of us who live in San Jose and its surroundings have fought long and hard to keep this wildlife corridor open to all creatures. A train would destroy Coyote Valley. END THIS MADNESS!!
2/12/2024	Website	Armando Benavides	The projections generated for this report including the ultimate cost, the projected ridership numbers, the overall funding sources, (and many more) are nothing but projections of future events that may or may not be measurable until decades into the future. How much will be the ultimate cost of this rail system? How many riders will use it? Will it generate sufficient ticket sells to pay its operating costs? We will not know the answers to theses questions until decades into the future and if the projections are not realized we would have wasted a tremendous amount of capital. It's difficult to continue to pour so much money into a rail system that is one of many that riders can chose from, including air travel, a safe, reliable, and cost effective alternative. But forge forward we must and continue to spend our limited transportation dollars on this single mammoth project that is channeling a high portion of our transportation dollars.
2/13/2024	Website	Stephen Ferrari	Look forward to getting updates
2/13/2024	Email	Suleyman Yesilyurt	Thank you very much for all the updates to keep us informed. I very much like and the details regarding the business plan, economic data and even the media coverage. It is very disappointing to see such a short-sighted view that permeates into different segments of the public including majority politicians who think the project is unnecessary! I guess they don't drive on I-5! Or they see it is necessary but they are not able to overcome their partisanship. It is an incredible phenomenon as to how the public goods become secondary or even tertiary behind personal and partisan gains!
2/14/2024	Website	E Cooley	Questions on Exhibits 2.4 and 3.3 Exhibit 2.4- The exhibit shows construction is complete on the Peach Ave, 9th Avenue, and Cairo Avenue underpasses. Yet, video footage for these structures posted in January and February 2024 clearly show that concrete work remains. The business plan should not show these structures are complete. Exhibit 3.3- The funding phase D-1 shows a grant approval for funding the 2nd track from Poplar Ave to North Bakersfield. Is this correct? Also, should the language for Phase C state "Track and Systems to Merced Station" instead of "Track & Systems to Merced?"
2/14/2024	Website	Renae Lightner	Grammar error on Pg. 47 in the following sentence. "In addition, vehicles will no longer spend hours each week idling at the intersection while safety gates are down, which will lower greenhouse gas emissions in an area already impacted by air poor air quality." The last part of the sentence should be "... impacted by poor air quality."
2/16/2024	Website	Barbara Epstein	I would welcome the high speed train from South Bay-Los Angeles area to Sacramento/San Francisco. We are so disconnected from Sacramento, where our state?s business takes place, that it makes sitting in on legislation sessions almost impossible It is not right to be forced to drive so far, or to endure the agony of present-day air travel, especially as elderly people. We greatly enjoyed the high speed train from Tokyo to Niko, Japan for a day trip, and wished that we could have that amenity for ourselves in California. In planning a day trip by rail from Munich to Nurnberg we had our choice of several departures throughout the day and evening, each way, so we got to see the historic sites and have dinner before our return train.. Thank you for completing this project as quickly as possible for all Californians, and for our many visitors, to enjoy California from one end to the other. I truly believe it will greatly benefit the traveling public and expedite business trips. Good for leisure and for commerce!
2/16/2024	Email	Charlotte Dennery	Hi, I apologize for the urgency. But could you please speak with me at your soonest convenience??
2/16/2024	Email	Robert Benson	I have previously sent this discussion to CAHSR staff, but have not received any response nor seen this idea noted in the 2024 Business Plan. So, I am submitting it as a comment to the Board re the 2024 Business Plan. I believe that a significant opportunity is being wasted. Specifically, the Authority has a chance to bring in private investment for power generation. I believe that the Authority should look into the opportunity to create a stock company that would produce and sell electrical power to the Authority and to the State. Consider: CAHSR has three advantages that most other solar power companies do not have: (1) extensive ownership of land to site the solar collectors for the foreseeable future, (2) ready access to adjacent power lines for getting the power produced into the grid, and (3) because the HSR trains will require power and there would be a fixed fare system the company could offer a guaranteed minimum rate of return, which might be very attractive to retirees. Thus, (1) and (2) in particular mean that more of the stockholder investment can go into the purchase of solar collectors and battery backups, making more of their investment income-producing. However, there are also three complications: (1) The physical construction of the solar collectors would not be in a typical ?block? configuration, since they usually would reside in long, narrow strips alongside the tracks or on the top of pergolas, (2) with the addition of extra power units, the distribution/collection power lines along the ROW might need to be upgraded to a larger capacity, and (3) federal grant funds have already been obtained to design and construct some of the power facilities. Thus, ownership management and maintenance of individual power units might be more complicated. But, there are also other significant advantages for the project: (1) This would be a good way to bring in supplemental funds. The idea might not bring in much investment initially, but over time CAHSR will extend throughout the state and over its lifetime will provide substantial amounts of additional power which would be sold. The demand for electrical energy will only increase in the foreseeable future, and CAHSR can contribute to filling the State?s need. (2) Having a power company set up and operating will make it easier to gain additional investors over time. And (3) the power company would also be paying CAHSR for maintenance on its power units, thus reducing CAHSR?s direct labor cost. The need for operational power will, according to the 2024 Business Plan timeline, not be needed for over 3 years, so there is sufficient time to investigate this idea more fully. If it proves feasible, then there should be sufficient time to make this plan a reality. As many power units as can be funded could then be set-up, and any power in excess of needs sold to the State to the immediate benefit of CASHSR?s balance sheet. The timing of investigating this proposal is important, since soon design decisions will be made which directly affect the implementation of this idea.
2/19/2024	Website	Asia Green	People said that we're left behind the first high-speed rail system in usa around the world that they already used it today. But we aren't missing nothing because Americans with disabilities act law was passing in 1990s and California voters approved to use the fund for California high-speed rail system in 2009 that after mid 1990s research and planning ca high-speed rail system team done that disabilities law was still new to train station and rolling stocks of trainsets design and construction if it happens in past maybe we not thinking of disabilities community what they need from us. For now and future, we will be start thinking what disabilities community need when they use the train stations and rolling stocks of trainsets.
2/26/2024	Letter	Rosanne Foust	View letter
2/28/2024	Website	Mark Bisaha	I would like to see an explanation/justification for why the SF-LA non-stop has an estimated runtime of 3:05 and not the 2:40 written into Prop 1A. What are the delay factors? Can they be mitigated? Are there alternatives? How is 3:05 legal? Does that open the Authority to lawsuits? Will this affect the odds of future funding both state and federal if it appears the line will be non-compliant?
2/29/2024	Website	Paul Herman	In the CAHSRA 2024 Business Plan Technical Reports, the Operations and Maintenance Cost Model Document states that the Valley to Valley service structure will consist of two operating lines: San Francisco - Merced - Bakersfield (one train per hour per direction at all stops) and Merced - Bakersfield (one train per every-two-hours per direction at all stops). In the Service Planning Methodology Document, it states that the Valley to Valley service structure will consist of two operating lines: San Francisco - Merced - Bakersfield (one train per hour per direction at all stops) and San Francisco - Bakersfield Direct (one train per every-two-hours per direction at all stops). These are two different service structures that are conflicting between the two technical reports, and could potentially have very different outcomes, especially in terms of costs to operate and revenue generation. Which Valley to Valley service structure is used in the overall Business Plan document? Which is being used to cost assumptions and revenue generation assumptions as part of the Business Plan document? These two technical reports should be aligned in what the Valley to Valley service is going to operate. In the Operations and Maintenance Cost Model Document, Section 3.8 Bus Costs, it is assumed that a fully electric bus fleet will be utilized for connecting service between Bakersfield and Southern California. There currently does not exist any electric bus that would be able to traverse this topographically rigorous route and meet the operational demands of a connecting bus service to the HSR service. Given that these buses would need to be procured years in advanced as to allow for appropriate testing of operational capability, I think more thought needs to be given to the operational and cost factors of how buses will work in regards to HSR service. Please consider that funding beyond the Central Valley HSR segments showed be pursued even before the Merced-Bakersfield Early Operating Service becomes operational. California HSR can not afford to wait until after the EOS is operating to start construction out of the Central Valley. Any downtime will cost the project labor workers it trained to other projects, meaning more effort will be necessary to train new construction workers. There would also be a cost in efficiency as there exist construction processes and work sites that could be utilized to produce construction materials for the next sections of HSR's construction in California. There are a multitude of other reasons why CAHSR can not afford to have any downtime in construction after the Central Valley sections are completed, including the cost of construction over time and the cost of financing the further the project takes to construct.
2/29/2024	Website	Cindy Bloom	Increasing the budget by BILLIONS every 2 years is not a "Business Plan." It is a symptom of not knowing what the hell you are doing -- all at taxpayer expense. The original budget was $33 billion--now it's $128 billion, a 188% increase. 16 years have passed since 2008 Prop 1A was narrowly passed, and not a single inch of track has been laid--and that's for the "easy" Central Valley corridor. All you have are disjointed islands of vehicle overpasses and some grade separations. What's going to happen when you have to tunnel through scores of miles in earthquake fault laden mountains? I urge that this draft business plan be amended and finalized to include terminating all planning and construction activities. Cut our/your losses and re-appropriate any remaining fund balance to repairing highways and bridges, and to build water storage infrastructure.
2/29/2024	Letter	Rodney Fong	View letter
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	David Tran	Good morning. My name is David Tran here today speaking on behalf of the City of San Jose. We would like to first thank the authority for their collaborative engagement with our city and on the release of the draft timeframe for the business plan. It highlights a number of important successes, including recent federal funding and construction progress. We do agree though, that identifying a stable and significant funding source is critical to advance the project. We encourage that authority to articulate further how the project fits into the state rail plan. Particularly the plan should address how the authority is proactively advancing key connectivity projects within the system such as San Jose Diridon station where the greatest number of rail services will come together. The plan should also address the authority in making progress on critical path items such as connecting at the entrance connections to the Northern and Southern California bookends. Thank you for your time and consideration.
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Marvin Normand	Good morning, I am Marvin Norm and I'm from San Bernandino also glad to see the business plan and we could see the board move forward. And as Mr. Kelly mentioned during the thing, one thing that we have noticed is that we expecting high speed rail to alleviate uh, it will cost a certain cost much more than the high speed rail is costing to add the equivalent amount of lane miles or highway or airports. But the other side of the point is that the state is still actually making those investments. And so, for example, the legislator has a bill right now, at 80-2503 to redo the corridor of a train corridor, for example. And so we got to get the authority or at least the legislator thinking about making more bills programs available to the program as well for funding and so that they are funding so that the high speed rail is actually an alternative to those plans and strategists In addition, which is kind of what it is. Thank you. Thank you
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Steve Roberts	Good morning again, members of the board, Chair Richards. On behalf of the Rail Passenger Association of America we encourage the board to approve the business plan and send it on to the legislature. I mean, we're in the tough part of this process. Now in the construction I think if all you have to do is look at Florida and Brightline?s results to see what the public perception will be when the initial operating segment begins operating. They will really appreciate this project. Thank you
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Pete Varma	Good morning, sir. Good morning. Good morning Chairman, Board of Directors. My name is Pete Varma. I serve on the High Speed Rail Small Business Council. I'm here to talk about small business, especially micro business. I'm a contractor, American Indian general contractor in Bishop, California, but we have offices in San Francisco. I put it take me the high speed rail, from the peninsula to Sacramento, but it's not there. So I asked the board to approve the plan. Let's get this figured out. My emphases is more about small business, micro business, micro business are 85% of small business in state of California. And I would urge the board of directors to focus on this micro business. And I think Mr. Brian Kelly will approve it and include including microbusiness on this on this plan, because as he has done them, it's only 3% where a small amount of money will be spent with smaller company, State of California needs to wait. There is more than 85 percents on smallest, below $15 million treasure and they need to participate on this program. Also, while we do need some large companies, because because of the capacity, but there's got to be options for smaller companies. Myself and Laura Wooten is here today, we created a SBE DBE construction coalition. It allows small business to team up partner and bring that value to a prime. It would be great if we could meet with the Prime and present our values so smaller companies can participate in this program. I would ask the board to ask yourself this question. What I would love to do for microbusinesses for the high rail project.
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Adam Van De Water	Good morning, good morning Chair Richards, directors, CEO Kelly, my name is Adam Van De Water. I'm executive director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority in San Francisco. And I'm calling to express our support for the draft 2024 business plan. We commend the authority for your dedicated work on this draft plan and are continuing to advance this transformational project statewide in which the recent federal investment of over $3 billion. We're excited to see the initial operating segment approaching its operational phase and look forward as the business plan suggests to the commencement of work to connect the Central Valley to the Bay Area and other basins. This progress could not come at a more opportune time as the Transbay Joint Powers Authority continues to advance the portal project is the most important mile in the state's high speed rail system, as we say, and connecting Cal trains electrified service and ultimately high speed rail into the multimodal Salesforce transit center in the heart of downtown San Francisco, or a third of all system live high speed rail riders and protecting the border heart. The center has been in operation for over five years now providing seamless connections among local and regional transit systems and serving a high density transit oriented neighborhood with 15,000 US residents in downtown San Francisco. Through our joint partnership, we're now making great progress to connect the state's rail system into our existing two storey train box and connect high speed rail to throughout the entire Bay Area. Just this month, we received a positive rating for the portal. One of only eight projects nationally in such an advanced state of residence readiness and expect to be entered into the engineering phase of the Federal Transit administration's new starts programming in the coming weeks. This critical federal funding source will provide a path of the total cost of the rail connection for the transit center and allow us to deliver this connection as soon as 2033. Thank you. We look forward to continue our partnership with the authority to advanced design on the NorCal segment to jointly secure funding, including extension to cap and trade and to delivering on our shared commitment to extend high speed rail into downtown San Francisco. Everybody put their low environmental, social and economic benefits. Thank you.
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	David Schwegel	David Schwegel emphasizing the importance of accurate representation of the travel time per exhibit 0.0 and economic benefits per exhibit 0.3 of the high speed rail. Now for both exhibits high speed rail is spot on for the initial exhibit 0.0 For travel time high speed rail is spot on. But if you drive back and forth from downtown San Francisco to downtown Los Angeles, you're, it's unlikely you're going to be doing eight hours in one shift, you're more than likely making a meal stop. And that takes an extra hour and a half. So it's going to add an hour and a half of that. And then aviation as they know, airports are rarely located downtown. We have to keep in mind the time between the formalities of going from downtown to the airport plus having to get to the airport two hours early and I actually timed this when I flew from Sacramento down to Los Angeles, in the Burbank airport area. And it took five and a half hours just to go downtown to downtown which is almost as long as driving. Second, on the economic benefits take lessons from Rogers Mullard of Washington State D O T who's going to be speaking at the US HSR conference $108 billion investment to add one northbound and one southbound lane to I-5 in the state of Washington Osage miles versus in $42 billion high speed rail system that will carry the passenger equivalent of a 12-lane freeway with airports that either end and generate $355 billion in economic returns. So get in touch with Rodger Mullard of Washington State DOT and find out how he did the ana lysis to come up with the $108 billion to add that one lady on I-5. Thank you
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Chuck Riojas	Chuck Riojas, I was elected as the executive director of the Fresno, Madera, Tulare, and Kings Building Trades Council. Thank you Chair Richards and the Authority Board for allowing us to speak. I couldn't support this draft 2024 business plan anymore. It is phenomenal. We've on the valley floor, we have done some great work moving forward. As part of the building trades, I'm heavily involved in apprenticeship opportunities for our local communities, that this project has allowed us to move many, many, many people into apprenticeship in the construction trades and allows them to an opportunity to get firmly into the middle class that allows them to have access to quality health care and a pension. So I couldn't support this business plan anymore. I mean, it's great. It is phenomenal, and I wish you all the luck. Thank you
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Jim Lawson	Good afternoon. My name is Jim Lawson, I'm with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. And thank you Chair Richards for the opportunity to speak. We would like to express the support from VTA for the business plan. We also would commit to you are our efforts to help extending the cap the trade funding advantage for both high speed rail as well as for other statewide efforts. As you know, VTA is building the BART extension to San Jose at the diridon station. We appreciate high speed rails cooperation in the diridon area stations concept plan, and we're happy to work this business plan we asked approval of it. We know it improves both our economy in California and most importantly our environment. Thanks again.
2/29/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Lauren Nichol	Good morning. My name is Lauren Nichol and I serve as the Director of Business Services for the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation located in downtown Fresno. For over a decade the Fresno EDC has remained firm in its support of California High Speed Rail and recommends approval of the 2024 draft business plan, as it appropriately reflects significant progress to move this project forward. It defines objectives sets realistic goals explains effective risk mitigation plans and reflects where we have advanced the work to date, including the 171 mile Merced, Fresno Bakersfield interim operating segment, the state of California private investors and the city of Fresno and have already committed hundreds of millions of dollars in planned investment and projects around the Fresno station, much of which hinges on a fully functional station and trains operating throughout the interim operating segment. For these reasons, we support the 2024 report, draft business plan as it will continue to move us on a path to operationalize the high speed rail. Thank you.
3/08/2024	Email	Donna Lauber	Lots of numbers but NO RESOURCES to pay for all the big numbers! This is someone's pipe dream.
3/10/2024	Website	D	Not interested nor want a highspeed railway going anywhere near or under or around my home. This is absurd and violates our rights as citizens!
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Adam Van De Water	Good afternoon Chair Wilson, members, Adam Van De Water Executive Director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority in downtown San Francisco. We're here supporting the business plan and encouraged by the forward progress the agency has been able to make and starting to bring things to the urban centers.
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	James Thuerwachter	Madam Chair, members, James Thuerwachter with the California State Council of Labor. We're also in strong support. Thank you.
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Chang	Chang with the American Council of Engineering Companies in support of the Authority's business draft plan.
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Keith Dunn	Thank you ma'am, chair, members, I appreciate the opportunity. It's a lot of information presented today I'd like to just focus on Mr. Thompson's comments. He always does such a great job of getting right to the point. That is we have priorities that need funding, this body and the administration go into this session and start talking about climate bonds potentially extensions of greenhouse gas funds. I'd like to remind us all that when we talk about climate change as it as a as a esoteric threat to our society, that that's something that we need to remember to consider that the largest contributor that could help with that impact is the high speed rail system here in California. So it's big numbers. There's a lot of information to go over. Happy to discuss all that with you from and I'm here by the way on behalf of the district council by ironworkers as well as the Association of California High Speed Trains Keith Dunn I apologize and jump right into it. But as we started having those discussions, funding is going to be critical. We can't continue to rely on the federal government. After the large grant that we received. We need to do our part as we have the state has invested in this project. Over the years we need to continue to do that as we have these funding discussions. I hope that the legislature and those of us that are supporting this program from the third house can continue to have those discussions. So thank you very much.
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Matt Kremens	Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members, Matt Kremens on behalf of the California Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers here today in strong support of the business plan and strong support of our hundreds of members and apprentices who are actively working on the project. Thank you.
3/11/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Jeremy Smith	Thank you, Mr. Chair, members, committee, Jeremy Smith here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council. We're here today in support of the business plan. We appreciate CEO Kelly's 30 years of public service before that he worked in this building well across the way for the for the California State Senate. We're glad he's at the High Speed Rail Authority he will be missed. We just wanted to urge all of you to you know stay the course, so to speak, and recognize the importance of continuing investment high speed rail with a revitalized partnership between the state and the Biden administration. California is closer than ever towards realizing a world class high speed rail system. I wanted to touch on a few numbers before I finished. The project has created 12,983 total jobs 8493 journey level workers and 1621 apprentices with over 70% of these workers coming from eight counties in the Central Valley. It is working. I think we heard today yesterday. There are ways that it could work. Better. There are concerns about future funding. But it is working. It is getting built and is putting people to work. It will only get more expensive, the longer we wait to fund it fully. I did want to touch on the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. The speaker from that union and their concerns with organizing at Siemens. It's what you've all read about in other industries, a multinational multibillion dollar company spending untold 1000s and millions of dollars to thwart an organizing campaign and we hope that high speed rail authority can keep that in mind. And remember that as they think about the procurement of train sets over the next several months, so again, we support the business plan, ask you to stand with our members and support the governor's continued investment high speed rail. Thank you.
3/12/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Jeremy Smith	Thank you, Madam Chair. Jeremy Smith here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council. I didn't realize you were doing primaries. Could I do be the primary witness just for the second one? Yeah, for the second one. All right. I didn't I didn't realize you were doing that. So I just wanted to ask before I launch into it. I just wanted to raise a couple of points first. You guys heard a lot of numbers today. From the authority, a lot of good numbers, a lot of maybe scary numbers. How are we going to get there, but I wanted to drill down on on just a handful of numbers. One more time. 1983 total jobs have been created. This program already from this project. 1409 feet general journey level workers have over 1600 apprentices so far. This is working for what we want it to do, which is create an economic activity in the Central Valley. We need to make sure that it works for the entire state. We didn't build it out and make sure we have the money we understand that but we want to just to highlight that fact this is really helping an interview the state of needs some investment. Then lastly, I wanted to go back to something that was said in the very beginning. We are disheartened a bit by Siemens. One of the bidders for the train sets and their hostility towards organizing their workers swung to reflect and remind that this stance that they're showing our organizers at the Boilermakers Union at least is not consistent with the high road policies this legislature has championed over the last several years. On top of the fact the State Workforce Development Board also has this high road construction career high road Training Partnership stance where these jobs need to be real careers, not just jobs, and that's what the organizing effort is about as Siemens so we look forward to the help that the story will give us in that space now and with thanking CEO Brian Kelly, not only for all of his years at the authority, but really for almost a 30 year career as a public servant. He has dedicated his life to serving the people of California and we're very grateful that he's been here at the end of his career, helping get this project move in the right direction. So thank you for your time
3/12/2024	Letter	Adam Van De Water	View letter
3/12/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Timothy Jefferies	Good afternoon, Chairman, senators. Timothy Jefferies, International Boilermakers. Have you heard comments about Siemens and about the work and I just wanted to say thank you the project should definitely go I heard a comment earlier who diocese that no one was excited. So the Boilermakers and my colleague spoke about this. He spoke about we're excited. They were excited for the updated information, some information that they hadn't heard in a while, as far as high speeds concerned. So those that did take their time off the job to come in. They are excited about the updated news about the high speed rail and I appreciate your support for the High Speed Rail Authority. Thank you.
3/12/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Volek Tang	Good afternoon, Volek Tang with the American Council of Engineering Companies. We remain supportive to the authorities business plan and support the authorities goals moving forward this year. We also look forward to the continued partnership with the authority. Thank you.
3/12/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Erin Lehane	I try to talk really fast but I have a lot to say. Good afternoon, Senator Cortes and honorable members of the Senate Transportation Committee. My name is Erin Lehane, and I'm here on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. The Boilermakers have been around for over 140 years building the transportation and energy infrastructure that has moved the masses protected the nation and powered our economy. We remain in strong support of California's transformative high speed rail project. We thank Mr. Kelly for his almost three decades worthy of public service to the state of California it's probably escape now. This project has already put 1000s of building trades members to work and it will put 1000s of more to work as we bring this train into the station, so to speak. We're grateful for the continued support of this legislature. And the federal government has played in moving this important project forward. And I thank you in advance for your continued support. I also want to thank the Senate for its continued unwavering commitment to high road labor standards, including your very hard work on SB 150, which is very much appreciated as the high speed rail project moves towards procurement, we ask that you urge support of the workforce that will be expected to build the rolling stock that will travel at very high speeds through our communities and across the rail lines that our brothers and sisters are laying right now. One of the shortlisted vendors Siemens has a facility in Sacramento where train cars are built currently for regional transit throughout the state that is locked in an overly hostile battle over worker representation. We've been working with the IBEW we approached Siemens well over a year and a half ago after hearing from workers who had very valid workplace concerns and wanted the benefit of union workers told us many things that concerned deaths, including they weren't making enough in wages to support their family. Many were seeking at work and the gig economy didn't even seeking public assistance just to feed their families. Some expressed concerns over safety over training how workplace concerns were handled and not handled. We were honored earlier to have several workers from the seamen facilities here today. We assume Siemens like it does in Germany were recognized a great partnership unions could provide a true partnership of progress, but this is not what happened. workers who have expressed their support of organizing have told us they have been faced bullying and intimidations at Siemens Sacramento. They filed unfair labor practice after being transferred into died over time. One Siemens supervisor told told one of the gentlemen that filed a ULP that they were close up and move if forced to partner with a labor union. This is certainly not the California way of doing things. High speed rail is a uniquely California project. It will connect the Bay Area with the Central Valley with LA and it should reflect California values. As things stands today, Siemens might be located in California but it is not a California company that's embracing California values. We continue we ask that you continue to support the California High Speed Rail and that you also consider supporting workers like you have always done and in accordance with SB 150 ensure that the upcoming procurement process does the same thank you very much. I tried to be brief.
3/14/2024	Website	Tate Baugh	Hi, I am trying to have my fingers crossed hoping for California High Speed Rail to complete its construction and earn money for funding as quickly as possible and not delay the construction. I have been dying to travel to Southern California. I have not been there in 18 years.
3/15/2024	Website	Kristin Sabo	This project has fr exceeded the cost voters approved. why is it still going forward? Stop this waste now.
3/21/2024	Website	Robert Benson	A minor clerical error which should be corrected. (I presume someone has already pointed this out, but if not): The Appendix B: Letter from the Office of the Inspector General - 2023 Project Update Report is MISSING page 5 (at least, in the copy I downloaded).
3/26/2024	Letter	Cameron Smyth	View letter
3/27/2024	Website	Dante Brigs	Just wanted to send a comment/suggestion wrt high speed rail from Northern to Southern California. As a Northern California resident even though I enjoy going to L.A. once in a while I would never consider using a high speed train due to the "First Mile" and "Last Mile" issues. As someone who has lived on the East Coast though and used automobile ferry service I have to admit that if the high speed train had some automobile transport capacity and my car could be loaded onto the train like a Ferry I would then definitely consider using it! California has always been a "Car Culture" and due to that I have doubts a strictly passenger based high speed train will ever be utilized enough to fulfill its ROI but make it into an "Automobile Ferry Service" and I bet it will get much more public support and greatly increase its utilization! Food for thought . . .
3/28/2024	Public Comment Oral Comment	Andres Armitas	Mr. Chairman, members, Andres Armitas on behalf of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority which owns and operates the Salesforce transit center in downtown San Francisco and whose portal project will be the northern terminus not only for electrified Caltrain, but for high speed rail. Just want to express our strong support for the high speed rail authorities draft business plan in 2024 commend the leadership of high speed rail and also just want to briefly uplift and emphasize the importance of the cap and trade program and cap and trade early reauthorization not only for the portal project, and for high speed rail but other statewide projects, mega projects of statewide significance. So we look forward to continued conversations on that topic. Thank you.
3/28/2024	Website	Joseph Gagne	In the Ridership and Revenue Forecasting Report to the 2024 Business Plan, the nonstop service from San Francisco to Los Angeles was shown to take 185 minutes to traverse. When Proposition 1A passed in 2008, it did so with the stipulation the trip would only take 160 minutes. Why the discrepancy? Does it have something to do with Caltrain only supporting trains going 79 MPH from San Francisco to San Jose currently?
3/31/24	Email	Rod Myers	This project no longer even closely resembles what voters approved back in 2008. It MUST be put to a vote again as a ?new? project. Knowing there is no firm completion date, no reliable final cost estimate or a funding source, put it to a vote again. If it's approved, build it.
4/4/2024	Email	Michl Delo	I originally voted in favor of High Speed Rail when it was going to follow existing corridors and at the amount of money originally proposed. You now are discussing relying on private money. Can you please explain how you will get private money? Since the project is way over budget I no longer believe it is worth the expenditure. I dont think what is being provided to California that the ridership will be worth the expenditure. I dont think you should use any more taxpayer money. Your business plan does not seem to address real costs and overages.
4/8/2024	Website	Erick Robles	Dear California Highspeed Rail Authority, The attached file includes comments from LA Metro Countywide Planning Department with a signed letter from our CEO Stephanie Wiggins. Thank you!
4/8/2024	Website	Eddon Bordeaux	The omission of.thr City of Santa Clarita from CalHSR plans is a disgrace to the city. Any business plan that does not include the City of Santa Clarita as a stopping point is missing out on revenue from over 200,000 individuals who would benefit from taking the train from the city instead of driving to Burbank or Palmdale. This is a disaster waiting to happen if the community is excluded. It goes against every business and climate goal set by the organization by removing 1/4 million people from clean, high speed and accessible transportation by skipping it altogether.
4/8/2024	Letter	Greg Greenway	View letter
4/8/2024	Website	Colby Kuyper	Build it and change make it so that zoning around high speed rail stations it is easy to make high rise mixed use buildings.
4/8/2024	Website	Branden Khan	My wife and I have two boys, seven and three, and we live in Hollister California. It is essential to their future and the next generations that this gets built. I have seen all the negatives that Car dependent infrastructure has brought to our society here in California. I want a future where they can be safe for traveling up and down our state and maybe one day won't even need to endure the financial hardship that owning a car brings to many people so they have the freedom to choose how they want to get around. thank you for your hard work
4/8/2024	Letter	Dan Phu	View letter
4/9/2024	Email	Elizabeth Goldstein Alexis	Please accept these comments on the California High Speed Rail 2024 Draft Business Plan. This plan does not actually offer a plan for the most important issue - initial service (if any) on the Central Valley segment. It simply provides old forecasts from the early train operator, which suffered from incorrect assumptions about the reliability of transfers to existing transit services, in place until next year?s PUR. Important decisions are made about systems, construction and train set procurement now - and policymakers need realistic information to rethink the current plan of operating a short high speed rail segment between Merced and Bakersfield. This plan almost certainly should be completely reviewed. It makes more sense to operate one standard trainset (potentially hybrid diesel/electric) for the entire Northern region from Sacramento to Bakersfield instead of buying and operating high speed rail trainsets. High speed rail tracks need to be inspected EVERY NIGHT and maintaining a handful of train sets will be extremely expensive. Having a separate short high speed rail line will result in dramatically higher operating costs - money that could be better used on increasing service levels. The plan also requires a transfer for most passengers - a transfer to/ or from trains or buses that are not very reliable. Any time savings by traveling at high speeds between Merced and Bakersfield will be offset by additional time required to make sure that a transfer can be made. Additional savings can be had by connecting conventional rail lines to the new infrastructure just north of Madera and just south of the current terminus. California needs an opportunity to rethink some key decisions previously made about connections from the Central Valley to the Bay Area.There have been significant events and decisions that mandate a reconsideration of the Pacheco route. The Pacheco tunnel turns out to be 16 miles (!), not 6 miles. Tracks will have to be shared for 80 miles from Gilroy to San Francisco. This has significant implications for travel times and service frequencies(non-stop service would be 3 hrs and 5 minutes - and only be offered twice a DAY). [Please see attached timetable from the plan] Plans are moving forward to develop new rail lines over the Altamont Pass. There are a lot of reasons to combine multiple projects into one, well used rail corridor. Ridership and Revenue Forecasting Report to the 2024 Business Plan Service Timetable
4/9/2024	Letter	Breanne Vandenberg	View letter
4/9/2024	Email/Letter	Kome Ajise	The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the California High- Speed Rail Authority?s (CHSRA) Draft 2024 Business Plan. SCAG supports completion of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) project and has shared a strong partnership with CHSRA for many years. We trust that you will take our attached comments into consideration as you move forward. SCAG looks forward to continuing to work with CHSRA and Southern California partners to deliver short- and long-term passenger rail improvements to our region and state. If you would like to discuss our comments further, please feel free to reach out to us. View letter
4/8/2024	Letter	Matt Serratto	View letter
4/9/2024	Website	Gilberto R.	My comment pertains to the train interior and seating design. Given the lower ridership projection. I say go all in on making the train as spacious and comfortable as possible. I like the idea of being able to have all or most of your luggage and belongings close to you; to be able to access an item. From the renderings and white mockups it looks like bags could be stored underneath your seat if small enough or on the overhead rack. I saw on the white mockups that there would be a luggage rack area; I feel and it looks like this area could accommodate different sizes of bags, or items weather really tall or short. I think the Ecoflex seating is necessary for groups / families riding together. I just wonder if the seats are wide enough. I say my favorite seat of the five presented would be the Premium seat just looks a little more functional then the Cocoon seat by having a cup holder and slide out desk. On the Premium seat I would remove the lock screen underneath the stand, I feel like it would get in the way of trying to access your bag or belongings. I also do like the Cocoon seat especially if it has more storage space then any of the other seats though it is hard for me to tell from the samples photos. I love the idea of a playroom area. Also having a lounge area / bar / cafe / food area would be popular. Lastly, I would just like to comment on the type of seat I didn't see, which I think would be helpful to have. I think what I would like to take on board is an open utility cart, shopping cart and/or stroller. I live in Santa Rosa, CA about a 10 minute walk from a SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) Train Station and that is how I use the train. There are a few seating areas that are wide and long. So, for example, I could see myself wanting to take one of my carts on a day trip or overnight trip to San Jose, CA. I attached some photos of me riding the train with my personal shopping cart. I also attached a screenshot from a video I saw online of the service Brightline where you can see someone's scooter and wagon onboard. The other bag style I am certain people will want to ride with is the granny type cart with two wheels because they are narrower in size. I attached a photo of my two-wheeled cart that is black colored but they come in all sorts of different colors and configurations. I hope all or some of my suggestions and ideas are taken into consideration. Thank You.
4/9/2024	Letter	Michelle Bouchard	View letter
4/9/2024	Letter	Tilly Chang, Jeffrey Tumlin, Rich Hillis	View letter
4/9/2024	Letter	Sebastian Petty	View letter
4/9/2024	Letter	John Ristow	View letter
4/9/2024	Letter	Alix A. Bockelman	View letter

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