California has been mercilessly mocked for boasting about completing the ‘world’s most pointless crossing’ to nowhere at a cost of $11billion.
The California High Speed Rail Authority shared an update on the Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County last week, proudly saying it was one of the ‘first completed high-speed rail structures’.
The Tweet did not get the reaction officials were hoping for with Elon Musk and Dogecoin creator Billy Markus piling in to mock the project.
The Viaduct has taken nine years to build and has cost taxpayers $11 billion as part of the state’s long-delayed, bullet-train plan attempting to link San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Commenting on photos showing the bridge stopping at only 1,600ft long with either end floating unconnected in the air, Markus tweeted: ‘This is the most remarkable human achievement ever.’
The California High Speed Rail Authority shared an update on the Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County last week
It has taken nine years to build and has cost taxpayers $11 billion
Sharing the rail authority’s tweet he added: ‘1600 feet of high speed rail after 9 years and 11 billion dollars it takes about 5 minutes to walk 1600 feet so a high speed rail for that is a really big deal.’
He added: ‘Wow so impressive, can’t wait until year 2400 for this to finish for 700 quadrillion dollars.’
Musk then chimed in, adding a crying face emoji.
The high speed railway project has been beset by delays and setbacks.
So far $11billion of taxpayer money has been sunk into the scheme which aims to connect Los Angeles to San Francisco.
The figure includes work on controversial Fresno bridge and a section which runs from Bakersfield to Merced, which is about 80 miles from the Bay Area.
It will take an estimated $100billion more to finish the project and link San Francisco to Los Angeles with many calling for the project to be scrapped.
The high speed railway project has been beset by delays and setbacks
Sharing their update on the project, the rail authority said: ‘The Fresno River Viaduct in Madera County is one of the first completed high-speed rail structures.
‘At nearly 1,600 feet long, high-speed trains will travel over the riverbed and will run parallel with the BNSF Railroad.’
They added photos showing the short concrete bridge spanning a road before stopping abruptly in mid-air with no connections at either end.
Venture Capitalist Patrick Blumenthal chimed in in response, saying: ‘0.3 miles completed. After 15 years. After $11.2 BILLION. $36.96 billion per mile.’
Others suggested that the project will take so long to complete that ‘high speed rail will be completed on the moon before then.’
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