With the removal of the ramp over Howard Street a week ago and the ramp over Beale Street this past weekend, Phase 1 of the Transbay Terminal demolition is well underway.
The four phase plan for the demolition of the old terminal and its ramps calls for all demolition to be completed by the end of April, 2011.
∙ Transbay Terminal Demolition Plan [transbaycenter.org]
∙ All Aboard As San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal Nears Its Close [SocketSite]
What do you think the chances are of high speed rail ever being connected to here? I got the feeling this just isn’t going to happen.
If HSR is built, as the ballot proposition requires, then I think the chances are pretty high. It’s worth noting that the Caltrain Downtown Extension hasn’t been fully funded yet.
People keep saying political forces (including a possible governor Meg Whitman) could kill HSR, but this is just wishful thinking by Peninsula NIMBYs as far as I can tell. The planning is still full speed ahead, and the funding keeps coming in.
What are the chances that the rail station opens by 2018? Those are much lower.
I think it is at least 70% likely, though I agree that 2018 might be stretching it. California won’t be suffering a budget crunch forever.
All I know is the Busses on Main street are a mess. And the lame ass traffic cop on scene was doing nothing to make things flow. Great building, but the bus traffic is being poorly routed.
I agree traffic cops are a bit overwhelmed. I come by almost every day and the have difficulty keeping people from using the “bus only” lanes (like on Mission, by the way)
I think the temp terminal would look better staged. Just sayin.
Well, it’s all white for starters. Not the best choice inside a home, and not the best choice on the street. Expect gray streaks of diesel exhaust particles before the winter.
Things missing for staging:
– white carpet
– All light fixtures switched on
– Square footage grossly overstated by 25%
They were talking about this on the radio this morning. That the state can’t afford HSR. I agree.
If Brown wins with his ties to the big public employee unions he will try to push this forward. If Whitman wins it stands a good chance of being killed or at least delayed for a long while till the state finances are in order.
If Whitman wins it stands a good chance of being killed or at least delayed for a long while till the state finances are in order.
That’s a ridiculous statement. The only reason entrepreneurs want to have public office is to plunder the coffers. Think Bush, his tax cuts, privatization of profits and the end of serious government oversight. They are not there to make it more efficient, but to bleed it dry through privatization as well as cutting oversight and taxation.
Losers are the citizen in the end. Less product safety. Less safety net. Less services. And their paycheck stays the same…
Not that I approve of the wasteful ways unions have bled California for years, or self-serving politicos with their bloated compensation.
“If Whitman wins it stands a good chance of being killed or at least delayed for a long while till the state finances are in order.”
Given the financing of the project, this makes no sense. There’s a good post at CAHSR blog about this:
http://www.cahsrblog.com/2010/08/hsr-and-the-governors-race/
It’s worth noting that Meg Whitman lives in Atherton, with one of the greatest concentration of Peninsula NIMBYs who are loudly against HSR, even though small in number.
Most of the GOP is still addicted to Big Oil money. They won’t fight for rail.
“That the state can’t afford HSR. I agree.”
The state can’t afford NOT to build HSR. It will create a ton of construction jobs, which are the people most in need of work.
And as the state is growing, and shows no sign of stopping, we will need to expand our transit capacity, and HSR is cheaper than more roads or expanding our airports.
Lastly, as has been shown over and over around the world (and in the US), HSR makes operating profits, meaning it will also help our budget problems going forward.
And the gap in the cost of HSR vs. existing transport options will widen as petroleum becomes more scarce. Does anyone here think that jet fuel will be cheaper in ten years when HSR comes on line ?
Now back to this terminal remodel underway, if we’re going to stage it then it needs include a row of “apple juice” jars artfully arranged.
don’t forget the baked cookies smell spray can…
it needs include a row of “apple juice” jars artfully arranged.
With the heat today, some areas in SOMA smell like 24th street cheese factory.