10 responses to “High Speed Rail in Burlingame?”

1. Russ

   May 5, 2009

   Here is a link to the San mateo Journal article, a report on the reaction of council and residents regarding the plans for HSR through Burlingame. http://smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=109804
   Here is an excerpt:
   “We don’t need to look at all options. We want a tunnel. We want it out of the way. … We keep hearing. ‘Thank you for your input; we’ll listen to all your input.’ Some of the options we don’t need to look at,” said Councilman Jerry Deal.
   Deal was concerned there is not enough money for tunneling. He feels city officials are being told the process will be open, ideas will be vetted out, but in the end there will not be enough money for tunneling unless Burlingame foots the bill, which it cannot.
   Dominic Spaethling, High-Speed Rail Authority regional manager, explained all options will and must be researched. Regardless of the option chosen, there will be grade separation, he said. Overwhelming support by community leaders for one option will be considered during the process, he said.
   Burlingame officials and residents were resoundingly against raising the tracks, many to the point of pushing for a no-build option if underground could not happen.
   “An elevated high-speed rail will create a physical divide to community. An underground tunnel is preferred option for the city, said Public Works Director Syed Murtuza, who added the city wants to maintain historical landmarks along the tracks like the eucalyptus trees, Burlingame train station and the Broadway train station.
   Concerns were also raised for residential units, Burlingame High School, Washington Park and a number of car dealerships which are rather close to the train tracks.
   Many feel the process is disingenuous, resident Russ Cohen said. “Everyone is in opposition. At what point does the high-speed rail authority say, ‘you know what? No one is interested in this,’ and walk away,” he said, adding the no-build option needs to be a true option not just a baseline for other studies.
   Resident Rob Huffman was happy to see many of his concerns were shared by the council, but added he has concerns over construction impacts. Huffman lives on Oak Grove Avenue near the tracks and worried the increased speeds and number of trains would be a nuisance.

2. Joanne

   May 5, 2009

   Thanks to all who came out last night to express our view that HSR could ruin everything that we love about Burlingame. I used the term “our” deliberately because not one of the many persons who spoke during the 2-3 hour discussion said they would be in favor on HSR if it was elevated through our city (as is currently proposed).
   At the end of the meeting, the mayor of Atherton spoke and invited our council to join Atherton, Menlo Park and Palo Alto in a consortium of cities who intend to negotiate as a block with the CHSRA (California High Speed Rail Authority) to ensure that the final plans do not divide our cities and devalue our properties. (Some possible options would include tunneling the rail, a “no build” option that stops the HSR in San Jose and allow for passengers to transfer to a bullet CalTrain to SF, etc.) The Atherton mayor was very impressive — well spoken, thoughtful and clearly had the big picture view in mind. He also clearly had the interests of his city’s residents in mind.
   Our city council voted 4-1 to join the consortium, with Rosalie O’Mahoney being the sole negative vote. O’Mahoney was very curt in her remarks, but apparently she thinks it is unseemly that Atherton and Menlo Park are suing CSHRA and, therefore, doesn’t want to be associated with them. However, as I see it, the lawsuit is necessary to keep the Altamont Pass on the table as an option. (The lawsuit challenges the EIR that allowed the train to go down the Peninsula and then across the the Pacheco pass rather than through Altamont Pass). If tunneling is not economically feasible (and it almost surely won’t be) and if CSHRA refuses to consider the no-build option, then would’t we rather have the train go through the Altamont Pass than whistle through our city every six minutes at 130 MPH?) In any event, the Atheron Mayor and Councilman Deal (who has been attending the consortium meetings) clearly stated that joining the consortium does not mean taking a position on the lawsuit.
   The Atherton mayor was “spot on” when he said that the “we’ll wait and see what CHSRA decides before we comment on it” is a sure-fire way to ensure that you have no input. The “wait and see” attitude, as far as I could determine, was the attitude of Burlingame until last night. So I’m thrilled that the city is going to be taking a more proactive position on HSR. It seems to me that there has been a reluctance on the part of some of our elected officials to question anything that the CHSRA is doing — apparently for fear of offending Democratic Party “big whigs” who are enamored with HSR because of the union jobs it will create and because trains are supposed to be a green alternative to planes. But “group-think, I dare-not-speak-out” attitudes, while they may be good for placating party officials for council members who intend to run for higher office someday, are going to have disastrous effects on local communities. We elected our leaders to represent us — not to be tools for statewide party officials. Almost everyone agrees that the HSR is a nice concept in theory — the devil is in the details. I’m glad to see our council take a step towards meeting the details head-on.
   I’m sure the video of the council meeting is up on the city website (or will be shortly). The discussion lasted from 8ish to 11ish.

3. Lorne

   May 5, 2009

   The video is up, but you can not scroll past agenda item 8 (i.e., you can not scroll directly to the last 7 agenda items, 9 through 15). This has been an ongoing issue for the past 3 Council meetings, i.e., incomplete/insufficient scrolls. I’ve brought this to the attention of the City, but no one appears to be fixing it. The community already committed to investing in this capability/feature, and I see no reason why we should not expect to see it fully harnessed to its potential. I’d appreciate it if others who share my concern tell the City, as well. Thanks.

4. Joanne

   May 5, 2009

   Thanks, Lorne, for posting this. I never have been able to scroll through any of these. (I have a Mac — If I want to watch it on video I have to watch the whole thing. Other websites that offer videos offer the videos as an “archive” and when they do this I am easily able to scroll through them and stop where I want to in the agenda.

5. Russ

   May 5, 2009

   Last night I stated that I thought the California High Speed Rail Authority’s approach to this process, especially the public outreach component, was disingenuous. See article above. At the time, I hoped that it wasn’t simply my skeptical nature. Apparently that isn’t the case. Here is an excerpt from an article in today’s Daily Post,(no electronic version to cut and paste a link.)
   …Two leaders of the CHSRA slammed Atherton, Menlo Park and Palo Alto for their opposition to high speed trains running through their towns above ground. Rail authority Chairman, Quentin Kopp said yesterday, “only a handful of cities” oppose…because of a few traffic, safety and noise concerns. Rod Diridon, also a board member attacked the cities even more sharply, “We can’t stop a whole system because two wealthy cities, stimulated by people living in some 50 to 100 homes right along the track, are now opposed to this.”
   So much for public input. This seemed like a done deal at the CHSRA meetings I attended last year and it seems nothing has changed. Are we having fun yet?

6. Fiona

   May 5, 2009

   I apologize to those who have asked us today to include new threads of community events that they would like featured on this site.
   Unfortunately right now it is NOT possible for us to do this with this “new platform”.
   Editor Baylock emailed me to say “the parameters are being established” and that is why we are not able to start new threads. No information from Baylock when this will be possible.
   The reason why the “Voice” was started in the first place was to be un-Fuchensian (and no dear editors that is not a swear word) and so I look forward to when the “new platform” has been strenthened and nailed into place so anyone can start new threads and include events important to our great city.

7. Bobby

   May 5, 2009

   I’m delighted to hear that the Council joined the consortium with PA, Atherton and Menlo Park. In my mind, there is only one option, and that is to stop the HSR at San Jose and connect with BabyBullet. Tunnelling simply is unaffordable (CHSR will blow their entire budget on tunneling through the Peninsula). Furthermore, I think most voters (particularly those on the Peninsula)approved of the “concept” of HSR last November with Prop 1A. Sadly, I think many didn’t read the fine print regarding the path up the Peninsula. I hope the lawsuit succeeds.

8. Timothy Hooker

   September 4, 2009

   Don’t forget the real issue here. NOISE!!!
   Decibels
   Degree
   Comparable Loudness or Feeling
   140
   Deafening
   Jet Aircraft, Artillery fire
   130
   Deafening
   Threshold of Pain, Causes Immediate Ear Damage
   120
   Extremely Loud
   Thunder or Diesel Engine Room
   110
   Extremely Loud
   Close to a train
   100
   Very Loud
   Wood Saw, Home Lawn Mower, car horn@16’
   Over 90 decibels – Hearing can be damaged if protective equipment is not worn
   Decibels
   Degree
   Comparable Loudness or Feeling
   90
   Very Loud
   Symphony, Truck without Muffler
   80
   Loud
   Car Noise at high speed, Police whistle, motorboat on plane
   70
   Loud
   Normal Street Noise, Average Radio
   60
   Moderate
   Normal Conversation
   50
   Moderate
   Normal Office Noise
   40
   Faint
   Residential Area without vehicle traffic
   30
   Faint
   Quiet Conversation
   20
   Very Faint
   Whisper, Ticking of a Watch
   10
   Totally Quiet
   Soundproof Room, Threshold of Hearing

9. commuter

   September 4, 2009

   Timothy – do you know what the decibel level for the high speed rail is?

10. pat giorni

    September 6, 2009

    Commuter,
    The Feds require that horns be set at 96-110 decibels.
    Caltrain sets its decibel level at 98+2.
    There is no High Speed rail yet; therefore that level has not been set.