So for the next four weeks, the group will be reviewing the newly revised California High Speed Rail Business plan. This week the group is to read chapter 1.

Chapter 1 of the plan makes the argument for why high speed rail is needed in California. Surprisingly, the argument is very strong which is rarely discussed in the media. Some of the major points are

Sustainability:

CHSR is the largest, greenest infrastructure project in the country
Trains will be powered by 100% renewable energy
Stations and facilities will be carbon neutral to carbon positive

- 97% of all construction waste recycled

- 3,750 acres restored

- 6,000 trees planted

Envision Platinum rating by the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure
High density urban infill as a result of the rail travel
Transfers 30% of the intrastate air market to rail

Pollution:

According to the American Lung Association State of Air 2020 Report

Central Valley and Southern California suffer some of the worst air pollution in the nation
Bakersfield is ranked #1 for Ozone Pollution in the US, Fresno #2, LA-Long Beach #4

Mobility:

13 million passengers flew between Los Angeles Area and Bay Area, the largest air corridor in the nation
361 million total trips in 2010, 550.5 million trips expected by 2040 (all modes)
California would need to construct approximately 4,200 highway lane miles, 91 airport gates, and two new major airport runways to accommodate the growth.
San Jose to Fresno -> 53 minutes by HSR vs 2 hrs, 34 minutes by car

Costs:

Would cost $122 -$199 billion for expansion to the highways and airports, vs $63 - $98 billion for high speed rail

From the Captain

The UW Engineer that built an aviation

It is 1920 and a tall, quiet, slender freshmen started in UW-Madison's mechanical engineering program. Unfortunately he wouldn't make it through the program. After his sophomore year he would drop out; move to Lincoln, Nebraska to become a pilot; and would convince investors to give him $25,000 ($375,000 in 2021) to help him build an airplane.

5 years after dropping out on May 20th, 1927; that tall slender former UW student took off alone in his single engine airplane from Long Island, NY; barely clearing the trees at the end of the runway. His name was Charles Lindbergh and a day later he would land his plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, in Paris making him the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic.

After his overnight fame, Charles Lindbergh returned to Madison in August of that year and addressed a filled Camp Randal Stadium and lay the cornerstone for what would be Memorial Union.

Charles would then go on start the first routes from the US to Japan and China for Pan American Airways. Later in life he would then go on to join the Board of Directors for Pan Am through the 1960s and 1970s and would pass away in 1974.

Meanwhile those Pan Am's Pacific routes he started were sold to United Airlines in 1987. That's why if you fly to Europe, Japan, or China; you can thank a UW engineer dropout for making it all happen.

Student Org Training:

As a College of Engineering Student Organization, the Leadership Team needs to attend a professional development training session. Here are the dates:

Soft-Skills:

Authentic Leadership Thursday, April 15th @ 10-11am

Communication and Conflict Management Tuesday, February 9th @ 1-2pm

Educational

Identity/Multicultural Wednesday, February 24th @ 6pm

Positional Leadership Thursday, March 4th @ 11-12pm

Responsible Community Partnerships Tuesday, March 16th (time TBD)

Administrative

Financial Planning Tuesday, April 30th @ 9-10am

Team Building

CliftonStrengths Test and group facilitation (by request only)

California's Adventure - Part 1

Agenda:

Faster Headlines

California High Speed Rail: Chapter 1

From the Captain

Student Org Training:

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