[jeffbee]

Usually if you think it over the mass transit projects have excellent value. For example the new eastern half of the Bay Bridge cost $6.5 billion (year of expenditure totals ending 2013) and that is not anywhere near as extensive, complex, or valuable as BART. Adding 1 stupid lane to US-101 in Novato cost $800 million. Then if you look at the HSR project that all the reactionaries whine about, they spent only $11 billion to design the entire system, get all the EIRs approved, build over 100 miles of trackway, and electrify Caltrain.