[publius911]

The cost of the high-speed rail project might be going above the current estimate of $68 billion.
Tunnel crew...you can figure union rates at $30 an hour. Toss in some accidents and a simple two-year project can turn into a six-year project. You could milk this till the cows come home.

Pretty crummy reporting, specially for an article "critical" of the boondoggle.

Somewhere in the introduction, the soaring costs should be contrasted to the "estimated cost" when the ridiculous plan was sold to the California taxpayer. What was that? Well, you better not ask. because no normal human being could possibly understand the Bullshit*.

(in year-of-expenditure dollars)
Try to figure THAT one out.

2013 Updated Calif High Speed Rail Due Diligence Report

* Princeton University Press, 2005

[publius911]

Tunnel crew...you can figure union rates at $30 an hour.

I neglected to add this...

I haven't seen $30 an hour union rates for laborers that low since the '60s...

Today, and for the next 15 years, that wouldn't even cover cost the union membership dues! (aka Union Fatcats political slush fund)