There were two transportation propositions on the local ballot here in the Bay Area.

They have passed after several attempts a bond issue to re-use the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad right of way in Marin county down to the Larkspur ferries. It has not been decided weather it will be Light rail or the common bi-level Diesel powered commuter trains.

And Statewide in California, there is some money for high speed rail between Northern and southern california. I am not clear if this is further study (the idea has been studied to death) or actually doing something real.

The Northeast has high speed rail and the time has arrived that they should put steel wheels on rails. not science fiction study of mag lev and other such ideas.

Did anyone else have any transportation related topics on their ballots?

Ted Miles

Greyhound racing is now banned in Massachusetts...does that count? ;-)

Proposition 1A in California allocated 9 billion dollars (about 1/5 the total cost) as seed money to start construction of HSR between LA and SF. This is a significant step forward. Land will be purchased and existing corridors should get upgrades. Maybe some equipment will be purchased. If enough match money arrives from the feds, then the remainder of the California $ can go to other corridors, such as to Oakland, Sacramento, Inland Empire, and San Diego (not prioritized).

It may be that the Virginia and Truckee reconstruction project will be slowing down in the near future. Let alone political questions with the management of the project, often questioned by local fan and observer Jim Lohse, we have the following election summary from the V&T discussion group (virginiaandtruckee1976@yahoogroups.com) provided by Scott Schrantz:

*****
Here's the text that was on the ballot.

"Do you support an increase in the sales and use tax in Carson City,
Nevada, of 1/8th of 1% for the purpose of repaying approximately $10
million in general obligation bonds (additionally secured by pledged
revenues) which will be issued to pay a portion of the cost of the
Virginia and Truckee Railroad construction project in return for 5% of
the gross ridership revenues generated by the project for the next 99
years."

Carson City residents voted NO, 61% to 39%. This was only an advisory
question; the city could still choose to go ahead with the plan even
though the voters rejected it. But with a new mayor and one new
supervisor taking office in January, I doubt that will happen. Mayor
Marv was one of the biggest boosters for Carson City funding the
railroad, to the point where many detractors called it "Marv's Toy Train".

So that is an extra $10 million that would have gone to the project,
which now will not. Current estimates are that the project will need
$20 to $30 million to reach completion, though, so this amount
wouldn't have been enough to finish the line all by itself even if it
had passed.

So now the project is right where it was before the vote, looking at
having to raise an additional $20 to $30 million if they want to get
all the way to Carson City. I think right now they have enough in the
bank to make it to Hwy 50 in Mound House and build the planned bridge
over the highway. But they don't have enough to go through the Carson
River Canyon, which promises to be one of the most scenic parts of the
trip. Or to build a depot and maintenance facilities. So the project
is not dead, they just need to find a way to get lots of cash, and fast.