Proposition 1A proposes constructing a high-speed passenger rail system stretching from Sacramento to San Diego. Twelve years and $60 million worth of studies have already been invested by the state to determine the feasibility of such a construction. This measure will sell bonds worth up to $9.95 billion to fund even more studies and the construction of the system.

The existence of a high-speed train will create jobs, reduce air pollution and our dependence on oil. Suggested travel time from San Francisco to Los Angeles will be just under three hours, clocking in at two hours and forty minutes. A trip from San Francisco to San Joe would only be thirty minutes which is the amount of time sometimes to travel across the City.

Proposed routes are as follows:

• Sacramento to Stockton to Fresno
• San Francisco Transbay Terminal to San Jose to Fresno
• Oakland to San Jose
• Fresno to Bakersfield to Palmdale to Los Angeles Union Station
• Los Angeles Union Station to Riverside to San Diego
• Los Angeles Union Station to Anaheim to Irvine
• Merced to Stockton to Oakland and San Francisco via the Altamont Corridor

The monetary commitment to a project of this size is quite large and the completion of the project may be years in the future. But, if we want to improve the environment as many wish then this is one step we must take.

If that guilt trip didn’t convince you, then maybe this song will:

[youtube]nAk2BBhQm1o[/youtube]