 "Photo: MCT Campus")
Sitting in traffic on College Avenue waiting to merge onto Interstate 8 can be a long, slow process at times. For some, it may even be a nightmare.
Imagine a city where you don't sit for hours in traffic staring at your steering wheel.
A ballot measure planned for the November 2008 vote proposes a 200 mph bullet train that could go from San Francisco to Los Angeles in about two and a half hours and may greatly alleviate congestion in certain areas of San Diego.
Supporters of the high-speed rail say that intercity travel in California will increase by 63 percent by 2030. Drivers will be affected by the state's swelling population, which will grow from 37 million to about 50 million during that same time frame, Lauren McClain said, who is one of the directors of an organization that supports the proposition: the California Public Interest Research Group.
Known to California voters as Proposition 1, construction on the 800-mile track could begin as early as 2011 if approved. High-speed rails are already installed in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Because the U.S. is dependent on oil and the automobile, this initiative will tackle both issues of the environment and high traffic congestion, McClain said.
"We are always trying to see how we can travel and be environmentally efficient at the same time."
CALPIRG estimates that the high-speed train would greatly reduce pollution because 41 percent of pollution comes from cars. It would also lessen the number of people driving on the road by almost 93 million drivers each year.
Unfortunately, it comes with a cost. Authorities are asking for voters to approve $9.95 billion in government bonds.
Opponents view the project as a waste of money on an already over-budgeted system. The total cost to build the system is estimated at $40 billion, according to cahighspeedrail.ca.gov.
The alternative is to spend $80 to $120 billion to expand airports and highways for California's growing numbers, McClain said. The train will generate $1 billion in annual profits, according to cahighspeedrail.ca.gov.
Events publicizing the high-speed rail have been popping up all over San Diego, including a rally that was hosted on Monday, Aug. 4 by CALPIRG.
Four of its members stood on the intersection of Interstate 5 and Washington Avenue in San Diego, giving out bumper stickers and holding up a banner that read, "Honk for High-Speed Rail."
"We were able to get up to 170 people to honk their horns," McClain said.
After much success, a similar event was held on Wednesday. "High-speed rail is the future of transportation," McClain said.
For more information about the high-speed rail, visit: http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov.
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