On April 17, Millbrae settled a lawsuit with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, removing a barrier to the construction of its high-speed rail station. This agreement focused on local control of land and integration with existing transit services. Millbrae had argued that the small plot of land should be used for housing instead of rail tracks due to rising project costs, which have escalated from an initial $40 billion to $135 billion. This resolution prioritizes transit-oriented development, essential for the city's economy.
Transit-oriented development to the east of the Millbrae BART station is one of the reasons for the City's current economic vitality, and this agreement prioritizes transit-oriented development for the west side of the station sooner rather than later.
The projectâs cost has ballooned from $40 billion to $135 billion at last count, thanks to a revised expected cost of $35 billion for the Merced to Bakersfield extension.
That argument is actually truer now than it was when the lawsuit was filed: The project's cost has ballooned from $40 billion to $135 billion.
The city argued that building housing on that land to address California's housing crisis was a better use than additional tracks for the planned high-speed rail station.
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