If you’re thinking about flying or driving to the L.A. area for Thanksgiving, just think how much nicer it would be to get on a bullet train and zoom down there in three or four hours, without worrying about seasonal weather, over-cautious bag inspectors, narrow seats or traffic jams.

Following up on the earlier entry about the arguments over which route — the southern Pacheco Pass route or the more northern route going over the Altamont Pass to the Dumbarton Bridge — the California High Speed Rail Authority announced today it would recommend the Pacheco Pass route.
 

Both routes have their detractors. Some say the Pacheco Pass route would initiate open space development in the lands east of Gilroy. Others, including many in the Bay Area’s Congressional delegation, say the Altamont Pass route would be too slow and would damage Bay wetlands.

In any case, the lack of consensus threatens to sink the project altogether. At risk is passage of a $9.9 billion bond measure on the November 2008 ballot to fund about half of the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco line.

More info than you’d ever want at the Calif. HSRA site, including this multi-page PDF file of various possible routes. And here are recent news stories about the project and the controversy.