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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums$6600 per FOOT! for a railroad line
There has got be some mistake
CA gives Feinstein's husband's company the contract
How many bids?
Will someone please post the actual facts?
I have got to be missing something
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Although it's not just rail, of course, so that figure may be about a lot more. If it's the high speed rail, that's a huge cost. Check out the ones in Japan and the EU. Technical wonders.
Cicada
(4,533 posts)CA initially thought it would cost 2 billion. The winning bid is 900 million plus. Ten percent below next cheapest bid, 60% below highest bid. This is not a normal rail line - it's a line for high speed rail, more than 200 mph. Without this rail line CA would have to build additional urban airports which would cost so much this rail line is a massive money-saver even if it cost three times as much.
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Chuuku Davis
(565 posts)I appreciate the real information instead of the coffee shop rumors I heard yesterday.
$550 per inch still sounds high to me but I am ignorant about such things
RetroLounge
(37,250 posts)I would guess, yes, you are.
RL
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)That includes everything from manufacturing, trucking, & labor costs to install.
FSogol
(45,488 posts)Newsjock
(11,733 posts)Shows up rather easy in teh google, but not from any legitimate news sites.
Oh, yeah, welcome to DU 'n stuff. Enjoy your ... stay.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Not being knowledgeable on the subject, I have absolutely no way to reference this. It could be high, it could be low or it could be just right.
aikoaiko
(34,172 posts)I could see modern railroad lines being pricey
onehandle
(51,122 posts)Dig up Ronald Reagan's bones and sell them on eBay to help pay.
Warpy
(111,274 posts)involves purchasing the right of way, properly grading and surfacing the road bed, then putting down ties and steel rails.
How much would the Interstates cost to build now? My guess is that they wouldn't be that much cheaper.
TheMadMonk
(6,187 posts)Don't think that included the right of way either.
elleng
(130,974 posts)Contract for what? To construct? To acquire right of way? Both? Other? Location?
bluedigger
(17,086 posts)URS and our partners are tasked with developing two contiguous segments of the systemfrom Fresno to Palmdale and from Palmdale to Los Angeles. As part of this work, we are responsible for defining the detailed design and construction requirements for the two segments. This includes planning for grade separations, crossings and bridges, as well as for more than 30 miles of tunnels and viaducts that will pass through the Tehachapi and San Gabriel mountain ranges in Southern California. In addition, URS is developing design concepts for the rail stations along these segments of the routeall of which will be multimodal transportation hubs with direct links to local and regional highways, airports and transit systems.
Also, we are identifying the agricultural, residential, industrial and recreational areas along the route to determine which alignments will have the least environmental impact. This includes studying the potential effects of train noise and vibration on people, buildings and the local ecology. A series of public meetings are being held to keep local communities informed about the various design concepts and any mitigation measures, which will be incorporated into the project to help protect the environment.http://www.urscorp.com/Projects/projView.php?s=926&pn=2&sec=14
It's a little more complicated than hiring a bunch of Chinese and Irish and giving them a bunch of dynamite and pick axes these days.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)personally, i have a problem with the family members of legislators getting government contracts, whatever the cost.
bluedigger
(17,086 posts)According to wiki they rank #14 in Federal contractors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_100_Contractors_of_the_U.S._federal_government
Another source has them at #43 in 2012.
http://washingtontechnology.com/toplists/top-100-lists/2012.aspx
Good luck finding legislators with no association whatsoever with government contractors. Maybe Bernie Sanders...
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Glad to hear it.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)It seems to be related to some sort of childhood trauma.
FSogol
(45,488 posts)Life must be confusing for the poor deluded freeps.