The Mercury News

Yes, the state’s high-speed rail project does have supporters

- Gary Richards Columnist Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/ mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@ bayareanew­sgroup.com or 408-920-5335.

Q You mentioned that you don’t hear support for the California High-speed Rail project. Well, I am a big supporter of this project from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. — Karl Auerbach, Santa Cruz

A

Today the supporters have their say.

Q across soon in I rail. in support Spain, the Japan. I’ve English ridden China high-speed I marvel Channel, and it at how gotten easily to each and of swiftly my destinatio­ns. I’ve I want that convenienc­e here for all of us, especially when our population soon will be multiples of the current number. It’s not a luxury but a necessity. We’re so much behind the rest of the world.

In the ’60s, San Mateo County rejected BART. How myopic it was then not to have foreseen the ensuing population growth and need. Thus we waited until 2000 and are paying multiple times what we would have, and we’re still waiting for BART. The lesson should be well-learned.

If you’ve complained about traffic then you know we’re in the midst of another population growth explosion. We need to build transit now, for our grandchild­ren and us.

High-speed rail is only one facet alongside roads, air, water; each will be stretched to its limits. Let’s do it right without cutting corners or budgets. Our grandchild­ren shouldn’t pay multiples in the future for our myopic errors.

Let’s set our sights far down the line. We’re all in this together. — Rose Twu, Sunnyvale

A High-speed rail might be here partially in … decades?

Q It’s unfortunat­e that so many shortsight­ed people can’t look into the future and see that we need alternativ­es to air and car travel, two of the most inefficien­t and highest polluting forms of travel we have. A nyone who has ridden trains in Europe will tell you how great it is to travel from city center to city center without traffic hassles, and with comfort, speed and friendly, reasonable costs.

California leads the nation in its level of disdain for climate deniers; you’d think they’d be more attuned to committing to something that would do a lot to mitigate our carbon footprint.

The rail project is almost certainly dead, but it will make a majestic ruin to the folly of thinking that investing in more roads and bigger airports will bring us a better future. — Eugene Ely, San Jose

A

And …

Q I think the highspeed train is a forward-thinking plan. Residents today will have a difficult time seeing the benefit, but their children and grandchild­ren will benefit. It will make California a leader in transporta­tion and environmen­tal stewardshi­p. I completely support it. — Regina Henderson, Redwood City A See you at the Diridon station, I hope.

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