After signing an $8 billion funding measure on Wednesday that will start construction on "the country's fastest rail system," Governor Jerry Brown climbed atop platform at the burgeoning Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco to blast those who fear change, growth, and lickity-split transportation from LA to the Bay Area. "When BART was approved, my father was governor, it barely passed," Brown said, adding, "The world is full of NIMBYs and fearful men...This is a bold move...don't worry about the polls."

As reported in SF Appeal, Mayor Ed Lee, who colloquially christened the Transbay Terminal "the future Grand Central Station of the West" (fingers crossed), also spoke, saying, "We're not waiting...[the] high-speed rail is the connector for our future investment across the state."

Money-wise, the SF MTA will score around $61 million, Caltrain will receive more than $700 million in state funding with $750 million from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, BART will land around $145 million (for new rails and tracks for the Millbrae Station, which will connect to the hish speed rail). Groundbreaking for the first section of the rail could happen as early as the beginning of 2013.

[SFA/BCN]