California's High-Speed Rail project is facing yet another setback, with officials now proposing a controversial plan to redirect the train to Yosemite National Park. The project, which has already incurred soaring costs and missed deadlines, is now estimated to cost over $100 billion if it's ever completed. The proposed change would involve shifting the future Merced station out of downtown and rebranding it as a Yosemite access point, despite the fact that tourists would still need to take bus shuttles to reach trailheads, which are 70 miles away. This move has been criticized as 'gaslighting' by Assemblymember David Tangipa, who argues that it's merely a rebranding effort to make everyone feel good. The proposal comes on the heels of Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democrats' attempt to bury records related to the High-Speed Rail's costs, which have now reached $215 million per mile. Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo described this as an affront to taxpayers, emphasizing the project's colossal failure. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has been scrambling to find solutions, with some officials suggesting a bypass of Merced and a westward swing towards the Bay Area. However, land-use experts argue that this pivot goes against the very benefits high-speed rail was intended to provide. The project's current status is a collection of viaducts, overpasses, and other structures scattered across the Central Valley, with only $15 billion spent so far. Despite the challenges, Governor Newsom has framed the project as a success story, but the reality is that the High-Speed Rail has been a costly and controversial endeavor. The proposed Yosemite station change is just the latest in a series of attempts to salvage the project, but it remains to be seen if this will be enough to save it from further scrutiny and criticism.
