Written by Isabel Stanley, Dailymail.Com
18:21 05 2024, 18:26 05 2024 updated
- The High Speed Rail Authority shared updated information about the Fresno River Viaduct
- They were widely ridiculed for involving Elon Musk and Billy Marcus.
The state of California has been mercilessly ridiculed for boasting that it spent $11 billion to complete “the world’s most pointless crossing.”
The California High-Speed Rail Authority last week shared an update on the Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County, proudly stating that it was one of the “first completed high-speed rail structures.”
The tweet didn’t get the response authorities had hoped for, with Elon Musk, Dogecoin creator Billy Marcus and others flocking to ridicule the project.
The viaduct, part of the state’s long-delayed bullet train plan to connect San Francisco and Los Angeles, took nine years to build and cost taxpayers $11 billion.
“This is the most remarkable feat in human history,” Marcus tweeted, commenting on a photo of the bridge suspended just 1,600 feet long, suspended in the air with both ends unconnected.
He shared a tweet from the railroad authority, saying, “It took 9 years and $11 billion to complete 1,600 feet of high-speed rail. It takes about 5 minutes to walk 1,600 feet, so high-speed rail for that is a really big deal. ” he added.
He added, “That’s amazing, I can’t wait until 2400 to see this done for $700 quadrillion.”
Musk then chimed in, adding a crying emoji.
High-speed rail projects have been hit by delays and setbacks.
So far, $11 billion in taxpayer money has been poured into a plan aimed at connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco.
That figure includes work on the controversial Fresno Bridge and the Bakersfield to Merced section, about 130 miles from the Bay Area.
It is estimated that it will cost an additional $100 billion to complete the project and connect San Francisco to Los Angeles, and many are calling for the project to be canceled.
Railroad officials shared an update on the project, saying, “The Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County is one of the first high-speed rail structures to be completed.”
“About 1,600 feet long, the high-speed train will pass through the river bed and run parallel to the BNSF Railway.”
They added a photo showing a short concrete bridge spanning a road, with no connections at either end, suddenly coming to a halt in mid-air.
In response, venture capitalist Patrick Blumenthal said, “Three-tenths of a mile is done.” 15 years later. After $11.2 billion. $36.96 billion per mile.
Some suggested that the project would take so long to complete that high-speed rail would be on the moon by then.