Palo Alto: Don't Kill High Speed Rail
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Author:
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Palo Alto City Council
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Supporters of High Speed Rail -
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In 2008 the Palo Alto City Council unanimously endorsed Proposition 1A and the California High Speed Rail project. They did so in full knowledge that the route chosen included the existing Caltrain right of way from San Francisco to San Jose. Palo Alto has also repeatedly indicated its support for passenger rail, sustainable transportation, energy independence, and a cleaner environment.
We the undersigned ask the Palo Alto City Council to reiterate this support by endorsing the plan to construct high speed tracks through their city.
We ask that Palo Alto understand its obligations to the region, to the state, and to the nation by not allowing a small and uninformed group to derail the high speed rail project by convincing Palo Alto to oppose construction of the HSR tracks.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as inappropriate the staff recommendation that asked for the Altamont Pass routing issue be reopened, as California voters already approved the Pacheco Pass routing at the November election.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as inappropriate the staff recommendation that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) reopen the issue of routing HSR trains down Highway 101 or Interstate 280, as that violates most accepted principles of transportation planning, and would hurt the Caltrain 2025 plan by reinforcing the notion that grade separations on the Caltrain ROW are not desirable.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as an especially inappropriate and mortal threat to the survival of the HSR project the staff recommendation that the CHSRA explore terminating the HSR route at San Jose instead of San Francisco, as this would cause ridership to plummet to the point where the system will no longer be financially viable.
We finally ask the Palo Alto City Council to embrace President Barack Obama's vision for a high speed rail system in the United States of America, and demonstrate support for that vision by submitting comments to the CHSRA that indicate support for the HSR route as planned and rejecting proposed comments that indicate opposition to the HSR route as planned.
Palo Alto has the opportunity to either help lead the USA into a new era, or reinforce the failed status quo by giving in to uninformed project opponents. We ask that Palo Alto express its enthusiastic support for high speed rail as planned.
We the undersigned ask the Palo Alto City Council to reiterate this support by endorsing the plan to construct high speed tracks through their city.
We ask that Palo Alto understand its obligations to the region, to the state, and to the nation by not allowing a small and uninformed group to derail the high speed rail project by convincing Palo Alto to oppose construction of the HSR tracks.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as inappropriate the staff recommendation that asked for the Altamont Pass routing issue be reopened, as California voters already approved the Pacheco Pass routing at the November election.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as inappropriate the staff recommendation that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) reopen the issue of routing HSR trains down Highway 101 or Interstate 280, as that violates most accepted principles of transportation planning, and would hurt the Caltrain 2025 plan by reinforcing the notion that grade separations on the Caltrain ROW are not desirable.
We ask that the Palo Alto City Council reject as an especially inappropriate and mortal threat to the survival of the HSR project the staff recommendation that the CHSRA explore terminating the HSR route at San Jose instead of San Francisco, as this would cause ridership to plummet to the point where the system will no longer be financially viable.
We finally ask the Palo Alto City Council to embrace President Barack Obama's vision for a high speed rail system in the United States of America, and demonstrate support for that vision by submitting comments to the CHSRA that indicate support for the HSR route as planned and rejecting proposed comments that indicate opposition to the HSR route as planned.
Palo Alto has the opportunity to either help lead the USA into a new era, or reinforce the failed status quo by giving in to uninformed project opponents. We ask that Palo Alto express its enthusiastic support for high speed rail as planned.
119 Signatures
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Robert Cruickshank
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Marc Washington
- Comments
- This is for California's future, my future. Don't ruin this chance. HSR works well in Europe and Japa
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Marc Washington
- Comments
- This is for California's future, my future. Don't ruin this chance. HSR works well in Europe and Japa
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David McCracken
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Adam Clark
- Comments
- Please think what you are about to do. Don't hurt HSR, instead, help to make it work for your city and everyone in California.
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jim tatarazuk
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Spokker
- Comments
- Online petitions don't work but hooray for high speed rail anyway!
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David Friedland
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Jeff Wood
- Comments
- Please don't ruin this opportunity for the state and country to build electric rail
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Ian Leighton
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Dennis Lytton
- Comments
- Let's move
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nathan griffin
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Michael R Morales
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JP Perry
- Comments
- This high speed rail project will be great for California and for Palo Alto.
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Erik Jaszewski
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David Milton
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Steven Taylor
- Comments
- Don't kill HSR!
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Ed Meng
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Joanna Ramos
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Scott Moore
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Jennifer Elliott
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Ludwig Perez
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Michael Brennan
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Shawn Kumar
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Peter Nelson
- Comments
- Santa Clara, CA
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David Snyder
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Michael Rooney
- Comments
- Stanford, CA
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Phillip Kramer
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Joseph Sheeter
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Monica Rozo
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Anthony Dominguez
- Comments
- High-speed rail is about the entire Bay and the State of California, not just tiny Palo Alto. Palo Alto should make HSR the best for its community rather than try to satisfy a few obstructionist NIMBY's who don't want HSR.
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KENNETH FELDSTEIN
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NANCY FELDSTEIN
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Kenneth Sterling
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Ryan Bacon
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matthew miller
- Comments
- the HSR is the BEST thing to happen to California in my lifetime.
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Crysta K Coburn
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Francis Hollowell
- Comments
- Please get this project started already.
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Rafael Seidl
- Comments
- Trains DO belong downtown. HSR, electrification and grade separation will INCREASE the values of most downtown properties.
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Tony Liang
- Comments
- Think of the children.
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Francis Egan
- Comments
- If it works in other countries it surely can work here.
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Iain MacKenzie
- Comments
- California needs to move forward on this vitally important project, which can be a model for the nation
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Peter Howe
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Peter Howe
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Eric Shoemaker
- Comments
- Don't let this great opportunity be squandered by NIMBYism
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Daryn Howland
- Comments
- I lived in Europe for 9 months and saw first-hand the benefit of mass-transit. We need this system to help put California back together!
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John Baker
- Comments
- Please support HSR, which is good for the whole of California
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Jillian Bartz
- Comments
- I was in Europe on a study abroad and used their rail system everyday. HSR is much needed in this state to improve California for us all.
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Yuma
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Kristan Alicesun
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119
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