Californias High-Speed Rail project is under fire again, but history shows us that major infrastructure projects are almost always controversial.

Before it was built, the Golden Gate Bridge was derided as financially unsound, legally dubious and an aesthetic blight. BART was deemed the ultimate money drain. Today opponents of the high-speed rail shorthand their objections: boondoggle.

Mega-infrastructure projects are hard. The bigger the project, the harder it gets. And California hasnt tackled an infrastructure project as big or as bold as high-speed rail since the building of our state highway system more than 50 years ago.

Yet despite all the handwringing, the political infighting, the calls to cancel the project and redirect funds, progress marches steadily forward. The High-Speed Rail Authority is systematically and transparently working its way through full environmental clearance for the entire statewide system by the end of 2022 so that as continued funding becomes available, the state is ready to build.

Whats not reported often is that this project is undertaking the largest environmental clearance effort in the country. The authority continues to make steady progress on this effort, with a schedule that shows theyll meet the federally mandated 2022 deadline.

Construction of the high-speed rail system is fully underway at 32 job sites across several counties along the first 119 miles of the system. This stretch will be the heart of the system and the testing ground for the nations first electrified high-speed rail trains. As of this month, 4,000 men and women have been put to work on construction jobs in the Central Valley because of the high-speed rail project. Rather than joining the swollen ranks of unemployed Californians, these men and women are providing for themselves and their families and helping build Californias future.

View post:

Jim Beall and Scott Wiener: Recognize the progress of high speed rail - Santa Maria Times