Posted on 11/15/2018 11:52:03 AM PST by Jim Robinson
California’s embattled high-speed rail project has been beset by “flawed decision making and poor contract management” that have led to billions of dollars in cost overruns and significant delays in construction in the San Joaquin Valley, according a report issued Thursday by state Auditor Elaine Howle.
Howle’s audit, requested earlier this year by the state Legislature, is a sharp critique of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the agency tasked with planning and developing the state’s bullet-train system.
Among its key findings is that the authority, in an effort to beat the clock on a federal deadline for spending stimulus grant funds, awarded a contract for its first construction segment in the Valley long before it had finished planning, acquired enough land or fully assessed other potential risks to cost and schedule.
“Despite being aware of risks associated with beginning construction before completing critical planning tasks, the Authority began construction in 2013 – a decision that has led to contract changes, project delays and cost overruns,” the report states.
(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...
“Flawed” is the operative word with everything that Kalifornia does. Our family escaped the yoke of Grey Davis two decades ago, it has to be much worse now.
They should go with the Chinese contractor who did the transcontinental railroad. They did that in just 3 years with hand tools.
They need to just admit defeat and walk away.
But then Blum and his buddies would take a huge financial hit on all the properties they’ve bought along the line, so we know the leftards in Sac-town would never allow that to happen.
What?! How could we EVER have predicted this???
As mechanization reforms an ever-shrinking farming industry and Calif farms shun water-intensive crops, there is less and less demand for ‘out in the fields’ pickers. So if the train is for migrant field workers, it’s 50 years too late. And if the train is for bay-area expansion, there’s not enough water for crops so how can there possibly be enough water to supply fields of ticky-tack suburban houses? Did we not learn the lessons of early settlers: what was suitable for farm land and what was suitable for large settlements?
For what has been spent (and stolen) so far in bullet train funding and the boondoggle-in-the-making aka the Oroville Dam, every single road in California could have been repaved. Every state park could have been renovated. Every levy could have been repaired.
So far, Oroville is looking at $1B and they’re still working on the foundation.KCRA is reporting 700 employees, MercNews says 805, working 24/7/365 at 450,000 man hours so far. Kiewit out of Nebraska, btw, has the Oroville contract - no breakdown on how many California employees. The bullet train numbers are even more miserable. And the raids on unattended jobsites for copper and metal are so frequent it’s a running joke.
You could probably design and build a rocket powered Greyhound bus for less.
flawed decision making and poor contract management”
Don’t know specifically, but they’re all corrupt democrats or their corrupt cronies.
Amazing, to me, that Mexico’s largest marxist state would not be offended by the racist term “bullet” train...
Is this for passenger service? I though the freight business is a money maker for the railroads.
In the private sector this kind of poor oversight and flawed contract management would lead to firings at the least and lengthy prison terms at worst.
L
Is there not one politician in CA at the State level who would stand up and say “This money needs to go toward fire prevention!”?
How can this be?
How can this be?
Bullet train? Bullets conjure up images of gun violence. I propose changing it to the Wizard train.
Looks like they have the land now that it’s burned to crisp.
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