California is pushing forward on a massive investment in high speed rail, offering the ability for people to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in as little as 2 1/2 hours.

But why we can’t even we bring a similar economical public transportation system to the Bay Area?

Our local transportation system is so inept that it forces people to drive. Other metropolitan areas all over the world can get people from point A  to point B within city and area limits. Why don’t we concentrate locally before going statewide?

The proposed route of the high speed rail would, just for starters, eliminate trees in Burlingame (the “city of trees”) and force businesses in Burlingame and San Mateo to evacuate their their premises. Atherton, a high-income and beautiful city, would be transected by the concrete corridor. This leads to property devaluation.

One argument in favor of the high speed rail system is the jobs it would create. But we could create almost as many jobs by building a more efficient transportation system for the Bay Area, where most of the state’s incomes is generated.

I say let’s do it right locally before we spend billions statewide and send more resources south.

What do you think?