Last week, U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA 14), CA Senator Joe Simitian (D-11)and CA Assemblyman Rich Gordon (D-21) all gathered at the Menlo Park Caltrain station to announce their vision for the future of high speed rail in California. “High speed rail done right” was the sentiment echoed by the lawmakers as they discussed what a comprehensive Bay Area high speed rail system should look like. The lawmakers’ plan is centered on three major components: rail alignment, funding and oversight.

Eshoo, Simitian and Gordon together stressed that ifCaliforniawants its mass transportation to be ushered into the 21st century, Caltrain and the high speed rail alignment need to be blended together. In regards to funding, the lawmakers stated “If we can barely find the funds to do high speed rail right, we most certainly cannot find the funds to do high speed rail wrong.” The funding mechanism and the rail alignment will not be successful without the necessary oversight to ensure a high speed rail project that will benefit Californians.