Saturday, March 17, 2007

You've Got Rail

Fancy traveling from L.A. to San Diego in less than 80 minutes? To San Francisco in less than 150? This may not be a dream after all.
With California's population expected to grow 30% to 50 million over the next 20 years, something needs to be done about its "circulation." The California High Speed Authority may have the solution: the TGV [high speed trains]. If they get their way, and it's a big IF, the "dream" could become reality by 2020, with such side benefits as: environment-friendly energy; half the costs of expanding the freeway network; dramatically reduced impact on farmlands, wetlands and sensitive habitats; antidote to suburban sprawl; freight efficiency. 4D demo here [via Curbed LA]
screenshot from CHSA's 4D demo