Faced with rising costs and logistical challenges, officials in Merced, California, are proposing an unorthodox solution that would keep high-speed rail in the area and delight nature lovers.
As the San Francisco Chronicle reported, the California High-Speed Rail Authority and politicians are considering replacing plans for a downtown station with one in a remote location with access to Yosemite National Park.
Most visitors travel to Yosemite by car, but it's a grueling journey. The proposed new station would be 4 miles outside of downtown Merced, and buses could take tourists to the park.
Getting visitors to Yosemite isn't the only impetus for the change. Officials are looking to save over $1 billion on the Merced stop. With skipping the area on the table, local leaders are searching for a better option.
The proposed high-speed rail station would avoid costly construction such as an elevated track and having to buy and demolish properties.
"The primary advantage here is certainty," Peter Whippy, chief of external affairs at the California High-Speed Rail Authority, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Since the project would be outside the area of the proposed Merced-to-Bakersfield line, it must clear a number of regulatory hurdles, including the approval of a new land use plan.
Another challenge is that Merced County locals might not be pleased with a booming train station and its offshoots. Critics worry about the costs of building out infrastructure and the toll on Merced's downtown.
Despite those risks, there is an undeniable appeal to the idea. It could still serve students at the University of California, Merced, and commuting workers, who could park their cars on the way to other destinations. Tourists would get shorter and easier trips to Yosemite.
"It's a risk-reward thing," Merced County Supervisor Josh Pedrozo said. "For the region, it would be incredibly beneficial."
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 As California's high-speed rail line is being developed, these are the sorts of creative moves that might be necessary to keep things on track and realize the goals of cleaner transit. The Trump administration has pulled funding, and the project's initial aspirations have become elusive and pricier.
This pivot holds a lot of promise for nature enthusiasts, according to California YIMBY spokesperson Matthew Lewis.
"It opens up the Sierra in ways people have not even begun to imagine," he told the Chronicle. "Not just Yosemite Valley. The whole crest."
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