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SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011

A CUSTOM PUBLICATION OF THE FRESNO BEE

G A M E

C H A N G E R

F O R

T H E

V A L L E Y ?

MONEY
Acela operates the United States only high speed rail line, which connects Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York. Looking at typical rates for these lines, we can get a sample of what it may cost to travel Californias high speed rail.

Money: Partnerships are the answer to HSR

11 and operate the asset with maximum care to make the partnership with government work and keep the public happy. Another misperception is that P3s cost union jobs. Yet without private financing, many public projects and the jobs they create would not even exist, and among the largest investors in P3s are union pension funds. Increasingly, municipalities understand the value and promise of P3s. About half of all U.S. states, including California, have enacted legislation that permits public-private initiatives on state projects. But the private sector must also come to the table with the leadership and expertise necessary to complete one of these projects along with a solid business case based on value for money. There must be transparency on both sides along with a genuine partnership between the government and the private entities. As more and more municipalities face these tough decisions, we urge them to consider a public, private partnership for the sake of the economy, the environment, and a public benefit to commuters who now bear horrible congestion that impedes business growth and diminished quality of life. We all understand the reality that
FROM PAGE

Source: tickets.amtrak.com. Cheapest ticket price listed. Prices as of 6/7/2011.

Round trip from Boston to Washington, D.C.

(equivalent to San Francisco to Los Angeles)

Day-of: $235 (single rider); $940 (family of four) Next day: $209 (single rider); $836 (family of four) Two-day notice: $183 (single rider); $732 (family of four) Two-week notice: $157 (single rider); $628 (family of four) Two-month notice: $157 (single rider); $628 (family of four) Six-month notice: $157 (single rider); $628 (family of four) Day of: $115 (single rider); $460 (family of four) Next-day: $99 (single rider); $272 (family of four) Two-day notice: $99 (single rider); $396 (family of four) Two-week notice: $99 (single rider); $396 (family of four) Two-month notice: $99 (single rider); $396 (family of four) Six-month notice: $99 (single rider); $396 (family of four) 10-ride pass for 45-day time period: $76

In California, its clear our significant transportation needs cannot be met entirely through state funding.
Michael Colbelli

394 miles
Round trip from Boston to New York
(equivalent to Fresno to Los Angeles or San Francisco)

193 miles

Monthly unlimited pass: $1,710

FOOTPRINT

1 two-rail HSR rail can carry 10,000 passengers per hour, in either direction: 50 feet wide. HSR: $60 million per mile HSR: 150 to 300 miles on the energy equivalent of a gallon of gas

To match that capacity Highway 99 would need four more lanes at 132 feet wide. Highway: $166 million per mile

COST GASOLINE

Prius: 40 to 100 mpg Airbus: 49 to 100 mpg

government simply cannot afford to fully pay for our growing infrastructure needs. In California, its clear our significant transportation needs cannot be met entirely through state funding. The good news is that there are billions of dollars in private capital available and ready to invest. P3s offer potential to stretch government dollars with private capital as a way around lack of funding for these large scale public projects. They are the right option for the state, at the right time, beginning with the California highspeed rail project. Michael Cobelli is the chief operating officer of Skanska USAs Civil business unit. Globally, Skanska has delivered 19 public-private partnership projects including toll roads, hospitals, schools, water treatment plants, hydro-power and prisons.

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO

its faculty expertise in educating and training students to become tomorrows leaders, and contribute to the efforts to see high-speed rail in the Valley become a reality.
ITS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS FRESNO STATE IS

Fresno State is ready to use

POWERING THE NEW CALIFORNIA.

www.csufresno.edu

Illustration courtesy of NC3D