Peninsula must have strong voice in planning
by Terry Nagel
San Francisco Chronicle Friday, April 2, 2010
The business plan for high-speed rail is full of holes, ridership forecasts are wildly optimistic, yet powerful political forces in San Francisco and San Jose want this enormous rail project to happen - and I’m convinced it will. Our cities along the Caltrain corridor on the Peninsula will not have a strong voice in this project unless we fully engage residents and work together.
Buoyed by statewide voter approval, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has $9.95 billion in its pocket and will receive $2.25 billion more if planning proceeds at breakneck speed and meets federal stimulus deadlines. Unfortunately, the ambitious budget for this project is based on the cheapest alternatives possible (elevated structures) with little money for mitigation.
Cities on the Peninsula understand the advantages that high-speed rail could bring, including more local train service and grade separations that improve traffic flow and safety. It is a lifeline for Caltrain, which is perilously close to bankruptcy. We also know the downside. This will be the largest public works project we’ve ever seen on the Peninsula.
Construction will be devastating. Even worse is the specter of a giant wall dividing our neighborhoods, unbearable noise and vibration levels, and lower property values.
We need time and support to carry out the public process to make sure that high-speed rail integrates well with our cities. Our best hope is a community collaboration process called Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS), which has been used successfully for many years in highway construction projects.
CSS has the full support of high-speed rail planners on the Peninsula. They know this very thorough eight-step process goes deeper than the usual requirements for building thats are dictated by environmental laws; it requires weighing transportation goals with community concerns, and full and fair consideration of all alternatives.
But cities on the Peninsula have been left to their own devices to publicize and engage the public in CSS. That’s an unrealistic expectation at a time when we are slashing budgets and staff. High-speed rail has a far better chance of succeeding if Peninsula cities have adequate time and financial support to carry out CSS. The process also will attract more private investment - dollars that won’t be coming if protestors are lying on the tracks.
If we work together, we can have a powerful impact on a project that could leapfrog us into the future and serve us well for generations to come.
Terry Nagel is vice mayor of Burlingame and a member of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority board of directors. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. She can be reached at terry@terrynagel.com.