California Authorities Face Criticism for “Billion-Dollar” Bridge to Nowhere
The California state government is facing backlash over a completed section of the long-awaited high-speed rail project between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The California High-Speed Rail Authority recently publicized the completion of a 0.3-mile stretch of bridge, known as The Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County, which reportedly cost $1 billion to construct. However, the bridge has been mocked for appearing to lead to nowhere and has sparked criticism of the entire project.
Despite initial funding being approved in 2008, the high-speed rail line is still far from completion and is estimated to cost over $100 billion in total. The first phase of construction has only just begun, with further funding being used for environmental planning. The completed Fresno River Viaduct is part of the Phase I System and was finished in 2018.
Pictures shared by the California High-Speed Rail Authority show the bridge connected to nothing at either end, leading many to question its purpose. The bridge runs above a road and close to a number of houses, but currently serves no function. Even billionaire Elon Musk joined in on the criticism, posting a crying emoji in response to news of the project on social media.
However, some of the criticism has been based on false claims about the viaduct, its cost, and the time it took to complete it. In fact, the bridge was finished six years ago after three years of construction, and since then, dozens more structures have been completed. There are currently over a hundred miles in active construction across the project.
High-speed rail projects are known to be complex, expensive, and lengthy endeavors, and the California High-Speed Rail is no exception. The rail is expected to be in use sometime in the early 2030s, but there have been talks of potentially scrapping the project altogether. Sky News reached out to the California High-Speed Rail Authority for comment but has not yet received a response.
