KTLA5 reported that the California High-Speed Rail Authority just got environmental approval for a bullet train that can go up to 200 miles per hour and connect downtown Los Angeles to the Bay Area.
KTLA5 called it “a historic milestone in a state notorious for holding up construction projects for environmental review.”
The California High-Speed Rail system is a big project that has been in the works for decades, but only periodically has it made progress. But just recently, work began on building some parts of the system. KTLA5 says that the first part, which will connect Merced to Bakersfield in the Central Valley, could be open as early as 2030. There will be many more sections after that.
After taking into account the time it takes to go through security and board, high-speed trains can sometimes get you from A to B faster than planes. They also make less noise, which means they have less of an effect on the neighborhoods around them. People can also buy them for a lot less money.
Also, the high-speed rail system will be a big deal for people in California, the air quality in the state, and the planet when it finally opens to the public. Studies have shown that high-speed rail is the most efficient and environmentally friendly way to travel long distances. For every passenger, it releases a lot less pollution into the air which makes the world too hot.
The United States, which is very focused on cars, is unfortunately very far behind many other countries, especially China when it comes to high-speed trains. But the California project shows that it’s still possible to start making up time.
“Transformational for Los Angeles County, connecting Palmdale to Burbank in a way that’s never been possible before,” outgoing California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Brian Kelly told KTLA5.
