News
California high-speed survives crucial Senate vote C
Keith Barrow Associate editor
ALIFORNIA is set to begin construction on the first phase of its $US 68bn high-speed network by the end of the year after the state Senate narrowly approved the initial $US 5.8bn tranche of funding.
After weeks of intensive campaigning and lobbying, Governor Mr Jerry Brown was able to muster only a 21-16 vote in favour of the legislation, which authorises $US 2.6bn in state bond funding, to be matched by a $US 3.2bn federal contribution. US transportation secretary Mr Ray LaHood warned in May
that California could forfeit Washington’s grant if it failed to approve state contributions. Many opponents in the state Senate, mostly Republican, argued that California’s budgetary crisis makes any investment in high-speed rail questionable. They also cited recent opinion polls suggesting the project has lost public support, and argue that the matter should be settled in a public referendum. Californian voters approved a state bond measure in November 2008 which allows the state to raise up to $US 9bn through 30-year general obligation bonds for the high- speed line, together with $US 950m for associated
improvements on adjoining conventional lines.
The bill passed by both the Assembly and the Senate includes $US 5.8bn for construction on the first 209km phase of the Initial Operating Section (IOS) between Bakersfield and Madera, north of Fresno, together with almost $US 2bn to improve commuter rail lines around Los Angeles and in the San Francisco Bay Area, which will allow high-speed services to enter cities on conventional lines.
“[The] vote to commence
construction, like all major public policy decisions, is the result of hard work and collaborative effort,” says
California High Speed Rail Authority chairman Mr Dan Richard. “The legislature’s action sets in motion a State- wide rail modernisation plan for California. Not only will California be the first state in the nation to build a high- speed rail system to connect our urban centres, we will also modernise and improve rail systems at the local and regional level. This plan will improve mobility, reduce emissions, and put thousands of people to work while enhancing our economic competitiveness.” A full description of the California High Speed Rail project can be found in the July issue of IRJ (p28).
RFF awards Nîmes - Montpellier by-pass contract
RENCH Rail Network (RFF) has signed a 25-year public-private partnership (PPP) contract with the OC’Via consortium to build and maintain France’s first mixed- traffic high-speed line. The consortium, which comprises Bouygues Construction, Colas, Spie Batignolles, Alstom, Meridiam Infrastructure, and FIDEPPP, will be responsible for funding ƒ1.5bn of the ƒ2.28bn project. The remaining funds will come from the European Union and the French government (52%), local authorities (28%) and RFF (20%).
F
SZ launches train maintenance subsidiary S
LOVENIAN Railways (SZ) has relaunched its train maintenance and overhaul subsidiary under the brand SZ Traction and Technical (SZ-VIT) with the aim of expanding its business internationally. As part of the broader
restructuring of the railway, 4
the creation of SZ-VIT merges SZ’s Central Workshops Ljubljana, SZ Traction, and TVD wagon maintenance units into a single organisation headquartered in Ljubljana with workshops at several locations in Slovenia. SZ-VIT provides maintenance and overhaul
services to domestic operators, but is also seeking to expand its business into other markets in central and southeastern Europe.
The company hopes to expand its capabilities by establishing long-term partnerships with other suppliers in the region.
The 80km line, of which 60km will be for 300km/h operation, will extend the existing TGV Méditerranée line from Manduel to the east of Nîmes to Lattes to the west of Montpellier and will include seven viaducts. The line will have new stations at Manduel-Redessan to serve Nîmes and Odysséum for Montpellier.
Detailed studies will start this month to enable preliminary work to begin before the end of the year. The new line is expected to open in December 2017.
IRJ August 2012
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