Radio Rothbard
California's Bullet-Train Delusion
May 8, 2025
William Anderson, a California economist and senior editor at Mises.org, critiques the state's ambitious bullet train project. He argues it disregards economic realities and faces insurmountable geographical hurdles. Costs have skyrocketed from $33 billion to over $135 billion, raising questions about its feasibility. Anderson highlights the political motivations and bureaucratic challenges complicating the project. He advocates for market-driven solutions to transportation planning, emphasizing the need to address actual regional demands instead.
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Quick takeaways
- California's bullet train project, initially estimated at $33 billion, has ballooned to over $135 billion due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and political mismanagement.
- The focus on political agendas in large infrastructure projects often overshadows practical transportation needs, questioning their long-term viability and economic utility.
Deep dives
Origins of the California Bullet Train
The idea for a bullet train in California originated with Governor Schwarzenegger, who envisioned a high-speed connection between San Francisco and Los Angeles. This project was initially pitched as a solution to the long travel times between these two major cities, where driving takes approximately five to six hours. Advocates highlighted the progressive trend in public transportation and the desire to emulate successful rail systems in Europe, prompting a bond issue in 2008 to fund the endeavor. However, the geographical challenges of California, including mountains and earthquake faults, have complicated the feasibility of such a railway system since the very beginning.
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