Public transportation and Caltrain

They are way behind the curve on grade crossing separation. They need to get their priorities straight. The proper order should be grade crossing separation then electrification. To do it in the reverse order risks having to redo parts of the electrification project over, and thus having the ridership pay for the same work twice. If the Caltrain board can’t get their priorities straight, then they should just shut down the Caltrain system, abandon the right of way and bring in BART to create and operate a system that encircles the Bay plus expands to the North Bay and further south and east. This would create a truly regional transportation system to replace the current mess of a system we have now.

What we need is grand, all-encompassing political courage and vision to make regional transportation system happen, but sadly that seems to be lacking these days. After all, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge were built in less than three years. Compare that with the fiasco of the current Bay Bridge, which came in way over budget and produced no increase in carrying capacity, took 20 years to build and was hampered by political interference. This is the same reason the high-speed rail had to be abandoned.

John McKenna

San Carlos