reSee.it - Tweets Saved By @Ron4California

Ron4California
Posted - February 25, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Saved - February 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
reSee.it AI Summary
I recently did some citizen journalism on the high-speed rail project and found it to be a fantasy. The projected course is unrealistic, and we lack the necessary land in the Central Valley. My visit to Fresno revealed no real progress—just concrete pylons on private property. It seems someone's benefiting financially from this stalled project. I also learned from a local that a recent freeway move was funded by Caltrans, not HSR. This situation highlights the inefficiency of government projects, and I’ll continue to share updates as I gather more information.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

THREAD: In the spirit of Andrew Breitbart, I did some citizen journalism on the way home from @CAGOP about the “high speed rail” project. It’s everything I suspected.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

You can read about the project at this website. The main thing to understand is the “projected course” at the home Page is a fantasy. Look at the “construction packages” section for a more realistic understanding. https://www.hsr.ca.gov/Newsroom/Multimedia/maps.html

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

And “fantasy” is an understatement. We have no way to get from Merced to SF or Bakersfield to Burbank, yes. But even more so, we don’t even have the land in Central Valley.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

These pictures were taken in Fresno around Construction Package 1. I was hoping to find sections where they at least cleared a path for the rail. Nothing of the sort. Just concrete pylons on private property.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

Somebody’s contractor cousin is getting rich building something with no intention of completion. That’s for sure. This is the only mark of progress and it’s right under hwy99.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

Again, remember: this is a preview of the #GreenNewDeal - give a bunch of money to the government to enrich itself and its coattails. It’s as effective as pushing a string.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

I went to the sites of the other construction packages but there wasn’t anything there. Not even a sign or two. Just an existing freight rail. I guess the benefit of a project in the middle of nowhere is nobody knows you’re doing squat.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

A Fresno resident updates me: "while you guys down in LA live with the traffic we moved our freeway 80 ft for 300 million dollars lol" - this was paid for mostly with Caltrans money, not HSR. https://abc30.com/automotive/hwy-99-realignment-in-fresno-for-high-speed-rail-line-complete/5141522/

Hwy 99 realignment in Fresno for high speed rail line complete Over five and a half years, close to 1,000 people worked on the design, planning and construction of the project. abc30.com

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

Ironically, it was "the only thing to get actually done because Caltrans did it, not HSR and their contractors." Reminds me of an old joke about the state government raising all road signs by a foot.

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

"If it were the federal government, they would lower the roads by a foot."

@Ron4California - Ron Bassilian

UPDATE: the testimony keeps coming in and I don’t have time to process it all. This thread is by no means over. Stay tuned.

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