High-Speed Train to Las Vegas

As a high desert-to-Los Angeles commuter, I have followed the news regarding the proposed high-speed rail system with great interest. Besides the potential personal benefit of a faster, more convenient commute, the idea that regional officials were finally seeking a high-tech solution to the traffic nightmare was encouraging. How foolish of me to count on bureaucrats to exhibit any foresight.

Instead of deciding to link the rail from Las Vegas through Palmdale to Sylmar, I now read the commission has opted for an Anaheim to Vegas route. It’s hard to comprehend why, when we all endure some of the worst traffic in the nation, the commission would believe linking two tourist locations resembles any kind of solution. I have yet to hear a single morning traffic report mention a crush of commuters trying to get from Disneyland to the Las Vegas Strip before dinner time. When all the facts point to ever-worsening conditions on our freeways, our regional politicos have decided it’s time we make it possible to drop off the kids at the Magic Kingdom in the morning and be at Caesar’s Palace before noon.

The Palmdale-Sylmar connection made sense beyond the commission’s projection of comparative ridership. The Antelope Valley continues to be one of the fastest growing areas. It is an ideal location for a larger, more efficient Los Angeles airport. The high-tech rail system could speed passengers to and from Los Angeles and Las Vegas without increased freeway congestion and pollution.

The proposed rail could have been a high-tech, high-speed solution, worthy of federal funding and local support. The commission’s decision has turned the project into Disneyland’s newest ride, and a fresh source of income for the casino bosses. As such, I don’t believe one cent of public money should support the project, as all of the benefits have just been handed over to private interests.

TOM GOOSMANN

Littlerock