Rail Authority: No berms for high-speed rail on the Peninsula

When will we see an investment-grade ridership study or a believable business plan? Federal funds will not even come close to matching the drain on the state budget.

There is no mention of the impact on Peninsula schools. Are they ignoring that education is in crisis and this will create more problems? Have they studied noise and vibration around schools?

Why arent's they considering a route through more open spaces instead of congested one?

Their pictures show trains running through open areas. That is very misleading

Whenever anything of controvery pops up, IMMEDIATELY the "children" are brought in along with the school system.
Who do you think you are fooling?
Keep it clean, brief and smart.
There IS going to be a HSR coming through some of your lawns whether you think you are above it or not.
Live with it.
I would prefer it be to those who are the most well off, and, at this time, not in a position to do any graft and corruption because of the STATE OF THE STATE.....Few of you speak of the plusses it will bring to California's future. This is more important that the trains were in the move West not that long ago.
Learn to live with less money and land. I have in several cases and I can even say I suspect you have. One or two million dollars less in your private bank accounts will not hurt your standards.
It is disgraceful to see how different most of you who are "NOUVEAU" fail to respect the fact that California is a great state and one must make sacrifices for having to give up certain selfish things.
I have never seen such bad behaviour from a fifty mile radius of San Francisco. Have some style like Steve Jobs, who, while almost dying, conducted himself with dignity in Woodside when its citizenry was on his ass while he concentrated on work and lived in a dump of a house because he was forced to.
Grow up and stop thinking you have wounds to lick..........YET.

Mr Gordon:

please enlighten us unwashed "nouveau" as to the "benefits" of this boondoggle. It won't have the ridership projected, it will cost a lot more than estimated and will end up having to be subsidized by the tax payers. Where's the benefit other than for those who would rather ride a train than fly?

I wonder what Mr. Gordon has against children? Perhaps this attitude is the reason education in California is in crisis?

My interests ARE for the children and THEIR children.
All of you have no respect for the evolvement which will affect mostly them.........It is YOU who has no interest in the children and their futures. Such fragile pomposity and fake concern is what most of you show when you throw the baby in the wash.
As for the "unwashed" (an adjective I did not use) NOUVEAU, I am speaking as a fifth generation San Franciscan with two homes in San Mateo County, which was NEVER very law abiding while trying to obtain its present growth.
Now, it is overrun by more corruption than concerned citizens.
THAT is coming to an end since the reception and masses of ongoing investigations.
Stick around and you will get the picture.
The only truly consistent citizen you have on this board who knows his laws and is fed up as much as I, is Peter Carpenter, who I admire for his "take no enemies" stance.

Change "reception" to recession.

I have been a volunteer in schools near train tracks and have seen first hand that teaching comes to a halt when trains pass. As a nurse, I have seen the results of teen suicides.

Trains running 30 ft. from classrooms is not a good environment for learning and makes it more convenient for student suicides. A good environment takes into consideration both body and mind.

We base our feelings on past experiences. I respect the opinions of otherss and would hope they respect mine.

note: I live 30 miles from the tracks; this route would not affect me. However, the environment and education affects all.

I'm surprised R. Gordon isn't suspicious of corruption related to HSR. Just think about how the ballot measure was sold - with outrageously high ridership estimates, high speeds for trips, low prices, and other people's money with no future obligations on us taxpayers. Think also about why the path doesn't go as straight as possible, now creating new stations in the valley that will promote sprawl there...
For the record, I also don't live near the tracks, my children are grown up,and yet still worry a lot more about the diversion of scarce funds away from education and local transit. I worry about climate change and believe deeply that we won't get people out of cars until there is decent local and regional transit. If there were unlimited funds I might consider HSR, but still not at the top of the list of worthy investments. But there aren't and everyone knows it.

No BERMS for high-speed rail. Sorry. I misunderstood. I thought is was no GERMS for high-speed rail. My mistake.

And, regarding our voluble discussant, Mr. R. Gordon. As a voting member of the riff-raff, I love being chastised by the members of the fifth generation aristocracy. That's what makes this country so great.

For all those who so avidly support high-speed rail, and realize that the rail authority is confronting serious financial difficulties, I am organizing a fund to collect $10,000. from all HSR advocates to pay for this train without which, we are told, California will no longer be the jewel in the American crown. Send you checks to the Almanac which has my power of attorney to collect them.

Martin:

bet you won't be seeing a check from Mr. Gordon.

To Menlo Voter et al:

You will be seeing a check from me having up to 6 zeroes.

If your kids are suicidal, it must be from having to listen to all this crap which they know isn't about them.
As far as the corruption is concerned, I think few of you are aware just how many "officials" will be making early retirements on account of the investigatory work going on right this moment.

Sure we will Mr. Gordon. Sure we will.

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