4 ms·

I used to live in Chicago. In my old neighborhood, there is a right-of-way reserved for future high-speed rail. Most of it is now “tunnel” because high rises

I used to live in Chicago. In my old neighborhood, there is a right-of-way reserved for future high-speed rail. Most of it is now “tunnel” because high rises and stores have built out around it, taking all the space except that reserved portion. The grocery store has a parking deck cantilevered over the right of way; a high rise literally has a tunnel through it, etc. it looks crazy in the present, but that’s what planning ahead looks like. The US can do big infrastructure projects. It is happening all over the place. You just don’t notice because nobody is writing about non-failures.

pasttense01 4y ago
The infrastructure projects being done take much longer and cost a great deal more (even after adjusting for inflation) than a few decades ago.
xyzzyz 4y ago
Can you give an example of successful recent (say, from last 30 years) passenger rail project that, unlike your Chicago one, actually exists? I mean, it is easy to set out space for project in advance, it’s actually building it that is the hard part.
- relwin 4y ago
  $2.1 billion 10 mile light rail extension, completed last year: https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current-projects/uc-san-diego-blue-line-trolley-extension https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current-projects/uc-san-die...
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - simfree 4y ago
    Dayyyum, that is cheap compared to our 2 mile tunnel here in Seattle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Route_99_tunnel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Route_99_tunnel $210 million a mile for rail is a great value compared to the cost to build here in the Puget Sound region. Sounds Transit 3 is adding 62 miles of rail for $53.8 billion and central portions like Ballard and West Seattle are still over a decade away from starting construction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Transit#Sound_Transit_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Transit#Sound_Transit_2
fullshark 4y ago
Do you have an example? Your example can hardly be called a success. The last big infrastructure project I recall that can even be called a success is the Big Dig in Boston, which came at a huge (unplanned for) cost. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig
- mickdeek86 4y ago
  You don't have to leave the area: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_and_Reservoir_Plan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_and_Reservoir_Plan Though decades-long, is on schedule and budget. In Chicago.

pasttense01 4y ago

The infrastructure projects being done take much longer and cost a great deal more (even after adjusting for inflation) than a few decades ago.

xyzzyz 4y ago

Can you give an example of successful recent (say, from last 30 years) passenger rail project that, unlike your Chicago one, actually exists? I mean, it is easy to set out space for project in advance, it’s actually building it that is the hard part.

relwin 4y ago
$2.1 billion 10 mile light rail extension, completed last year: https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current-projects/uc-san-diego-blue-line-trolley-extension https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/current-projects/uc-san-die...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- simfree 4y ago
  Dayyyum, that is cheap compared to our 2 mile tunnel here in Seattle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Route_99_tunnel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Route_99_tunnel $210 million a mile for rail is a great value compared to the cost to build here in the Puget Sound region. Sounds Transit 3 is adding 62 miles of rail for $53.8 billion and central portions like Ballard and West Seattle are still over a decade away from starting construction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Transit#Sound_Transit_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Transit#Sound_Transit_2

fullshark 4y ago

Do you have an example? Your example can hardly be called a success. The last big infrastructure project I recall that can even be called a success is the Big Dig in Boston, which came at a huge (unplanned for) cost. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig

mickdeek86 4y ago
You don't have to leave the area: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_and_Reservoir_Plan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_and_Reservoir_Plan Though decades-long, is on schedule and budget. In Chicago.