Boris Lipkin
@blipkin.bsky.social
Current AGM of Planning and Development at BART and San Carlos School Board Trustee. Former NorCal Regional Director for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. All posts and opinions are my own.
The story of how the smoking bans started is one of my favorites in politics. LA was going to ban smoking in restaurants. The restaurant association feared people would go to other cities so they pushed for a statewide ban instead. It passed and quickly spread nationwide. Brilliant.
this is a good reminder of how things that are shitty but have been accepted as normal and inevitable can actually turn out to be abnormal and evitable with some science, time, education and political will
December 20, 2025 at 5:17 AM
The story of how the smoking bans started is one of my favorites in politics. LA was going to ban smoking in restaurants. The restaurant association feared people would go to other cities so they pushed for a statewide ban instead. It passed and quickly spread nationwide. Brilliant.
I love that quote. It’s just perfect.
“It's not my duty as Mayor to make sure you have a parking spot. For me it's the same as if you bought a cow, or a refrigerator, and then asked me where you're going to put them.” — Mayor of Pontevedra, Spain (re-elected 6 times)
December 13, 2025 at 4:56 AM
I love that quote. It’s just perfect.
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
Canada will break ground on its 200 mph high-speed rail line in 2029, with the first segment to be constructed to be the 200 km stretch between Montreal and Ottawa. Ultimately, the line will link Toronto and Quebec City, and reduce trips from Montreal to Toronto to 3 hours.
Montreal-Ottawa chosen as first leg of high-speed rail project | CBC News
The first segment of Canada's proposed high-speed rail network would connect Montreal and Ottawa, according to Radio-Canada.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon is expected to make the announc...
www.cbc.ca
December 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Canada will break ground on its 200 mph high-speed rail line in 2029, with the first segment to be constructed to be the 200 km stretch between Montreal and Ottawa. Ultimately, the line will link Toronto and Quebec City, and reduce trips from Montreal to Toronto to 3 hours.
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
Today Austria inaugurated the Koralmbahn, offering a more direct route between Vienna and the Italian border and putting all its major southern cities on a single line.
It's designed for 250 km/h, like most HSR segments in Austria.
It's designed for 250 km/h, like most HSR segments in Austria.
December 12, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Today Austria inaugurated the Koralmbahn, offering a more direct route between Vienna and the Italian border and putting all its major southern cities on a single line.
It's designed for 250 km/h, like most HSR segments in Austria.
It's designed for 250 km/h, like most HSR segments in Austria.
Better infrastructure leads to better service leads to happier riders leads to more riders. Yay!🎉
We love good news! 🤭
Survey Says: Riders Love Caltrain! Read more: https://www.caltrain.com/news/survey-says-riders-love-caltrain.
Survey Says: Riders Love Caltrain! Read more: https://www.caltrain.com/news/survey-says-riders-love-caltrain.
Survey Says: Riders Love Caltrain | Caltrain
2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey shows widespread exuberance over electric service
www.caltrain.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Better infrastructure leads to better service leads to happier riders leads to more riders. Yay!🎉
I love this! Check it out:
Meet Makai King, the 10-year-old who loves the T and has gathered a small but fiercely supportive following on social media with videos about his adventures. trib.al/rSCI2ZQ
October 28, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I love this! Check it out:
Today the Mineta Trabsportation Institute published a special feature that I wrote describing the key lessons I took away from my time working on California’s high-speed rail project.
transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/defaul...
transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/defaul...
transweb.sjsu.edu
October 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Today the Mineta Trabsportation Institute published a special feature that I wrote describing the key lessons I took away from my time working on California’s high-speed rail project.
transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/defaul...
transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/defaul...
This is a common challenge for megaprojects in today’s political environment. Almost by definition they take longer than single political terms but ongoing support is uncertain at best leading to much more complex decisions on how and what to advance.
Why do US infrastructure projects cost so much & take so long?
Consider the Hudson rail tunnel:
1995—Studies
2009—Construction
2010—NJ Gov Christie kills it
2011—Project relaunch
2015—Fed support
2017—GOP Congress kills funding
2021/22—Biden funds it
2023—Construction
2025—Trump claims to cancel it
Consider the Hudson rail tunnel:
1995—Studies
2009—Construction
2010—NJ Gov Christie kills it
2011—Project relaunch
2015—Fed support
2017—GOP Congress kills funding
2021/22—Biden funds it
2023—Construction
2025—Trump claims to cancel it
Trump announced today, seemingly at random, that he is cancelling fed funding for Gateway Tunnel, a tunnel for intercity & commuter trains under the Hudson River.
The motivation for the cancellation—which is likely to be contested—appears to be purely the president’s hatred of Sen Schumer.
The motivation for the cancellation—which is likely to be contested—appears to be purely the president’s hatred of Sen Schumer.
October 16, 2025 at 3:16 PM
This is a common challenge for megaprojects in today’s political environment. Almost by definition they take longer than single political terms but ongoing support is uncertain at best leading to much more complex decisions on how and what to advance.
This is mostly not a sports account but how did the 0-4 UCLA football team just beat the #7 Penn State??
October 4, 2025 at 11:03 PM
This is mostly not a sports account but how did the 0-4 UCLA football team just beat the #7 Penn State??
This is my two worlds colliding. Drastic cuts in transit mean more kids missing/late to school. Attendance is hugely important for learning and kids who miss school fall further and further behind as time goes on. Very sad to see on all sides - fund transit, help kids learn! 🚍🚎🚇🎓🏫🧑🏼🏫
Philadelphia is now a petri dish for what happens if you kick big city transit service in the teeth.
www.inquirer.com/education/ph...
www.inquirer.com/education/ph...
SEPTA cuts hurt Philly schools’ attendance
Early district data show 63% of city schools showed an increase in late arrivals, and 54% had more students absent.
www.inquirer.com
September 2, 2025 at 11:44 PM
This is my two worlds colliding. Drastic cuts in transit mean more kids missing/late to school. Attendance is hugely important for learning and kids who miss school fall further and further behind as time goes on. Very sad to see on all sides - fund transit, help kids learn! 🚍🚎🚇🎓🏫🧑🏼🏫
I guess it wasn’t a ham sandwich (maybe turkey?) since the grand jury failed to indict it.
GRAND JURY REJECTS BALONEY CHARGE
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...
Prosecutors Fail to Secure Indictment Against Man Who Threw Sandwich at Federal Agent
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I guess it wasn’t a ham sandwich (maybe turkey?) since the grand jury failed to indict it.
Hmmm… what happened last year to give Caltrain such a huge jump? Oh yeah, electrified service started on new trains! 🚊
August 8, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Hmmm… what happened last year to give Caltrain such a huge jump? Oh yeah, electrified service started on new trains! 🚊
I’m in Richmond, VA today and this is definitely something you don’t see in California. Alley mural of the language from a statute passed over 200 years ago.
July 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I’m in Richmond, VA today and this is definitely something you don’t see in California. Alley mural of the language from a statute passed over 200 years ago.
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
extremely common congestion pricing W
June 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
extremely common congestion pricing W
Yesterday my 2.5 year old giddily grabs my phone off the bed and runs off with it.
5 seconds later… my six year old: “uhhh dad, he threw it in the bath.”
Somehow after being fully submerged the phone works fine. How far that particular technology has come.
5 seconds later… my six year old: “uhhh dad, he threw it in the bath.”
Somehow after being fully submerged the phone works fine. How far that particular technology has come.
June 12, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Yesterday my 2.5 year old giddily grabs my phone off the bed and runs off with it.
5 seconds later… my six year old: “uhhh dad, he threw it in the bath.”
Somehow after being fully submerged the phone works fine. How far that particular technology has come.
5 seconds later… my six year old: “uhhh dad, he threw it in the bath.”
Somehow after being fully submerged the phone works fine. How far that particular technology has come.
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
Glad to see the Trump Administration finally get on board with a key piece of California's @cahsra.bsky.social high-speed rail project!
It’s about time.
It’s about time.
May 29, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Glad to see the Trump Administration finally get on board with a key piece of California's @cahsra.bsky.social high-speed rail project!
It’s about time.
It’s about time.
New Supreme Court opinion gives agencies more autonomy in determining the appropriate analysis and alternatives for NEPA and takes a pretty big swipe at how environmental clearance has become much more than it was intended to be.
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
May 29, 2025 at 9:31 PM
New Supreme Court opinion gives agencies more autonomy in determining the appropriate analysis and alternatives for NEPA and takes a pretty big swipe at how environmental clearance has become much more than it was intended to be.
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Let’s compare the safety of different modes. One of these things is not like the others… hmmm🧐
injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-com...
injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-com...
May 28, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Let’s compare the safety of different modes. One of these things is not like the others… hmmm🧐
injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-com...
injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-com...
Good analysis and interesting conclusion from T4A on the insolvency of the highway trust fund. My only question is how do you ensure that new programs are created if you scale this down? Otherwise, it’ll be transit facing the cuts while highways keep their funding.
t4america.org/2025/05/22/t...
t4america.org/2025/05/22/t...
The highway trust fund isn’t on life support—it’s been dead since 2008 - Transportation For America
Our failing federal transportation program is supposed to be completely paid for with gas taxes, but since 2008, Congress has taken an additional $275 billion from taxpayers (on top of all gas taxes) ...
t4america.org
May 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Good analysis and interesting conclusion from T4A on the insolvency of the highway trust fund. My only question is how do you ensure that new programs are created if you scale this down? Otherwise, it’ll be transit facing the cuts while highways keep their funding.
t4america.org/2025/05/22/t...
t4america.org/2025/05/22/t...
Well this seems like an explicitly anti-health measure. More sickness, more impact to families. And for what?
The FDA has unveiled plans to narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to older adults and people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots.
FDA to limit covid shot approval to elderly, those with medical conditions
The agency will narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting shots that have been recommended broadly to the public.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Well this seems like an explicitly anti-health measure. More sickness, more impact to families. And for what?
No other way to say it - congestion pricing is a grand slam of positive policy outcomes.
Congestion pricing was designed to finance more than $15 billion in critical transit upgrades in New York City. Those investments will take years. But the parallel changes at street level are already apparent. Here’s what we know so far. nyti.ms/4mbuGg0
May 12, 2025 at 11:01 PM
No other way to say it - congestion pricing is a grand slam of positive policy outcomes.
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
NYC’s congestion pricing is a policy miracle: Less traffic, less noise, faster transit, more business sales, more transit revenue. And it hasn’t produced the negative effects outside the cordon zone we were afraid of.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
May 12, 2025 at 12:10 PM
NYC’s congestion pricing is a policy miracle: Less traffic, less noise, faster transit, more business sales, more transit revenue. And it hasn’t produced the negative effects outside the cordon zone we were afraid of.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Boris Lipkin
In California, we dream big — and despite Washington's outrageous attacks, our @cahsra.bsky.social high-speed rail is becoming a reality.
While we've broken ground on our transformative rail project here in California, Texas' high-speed rail has been a failure to launch.
While we've broken ground on our transformative rail project here in California, Texas' high-speed rail has been a failure to launch.
May 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
In California, we dream big — and despite Washington's outrageous attacks, our @cahsra.bsky.social high-speed rail is becoming a reality.
While we've broken ground on our transformative rail project here in California, Texas' high-speed rail has been a failure to launch.
While we've broken ground on our transformative rail project here in California, Texas' high-speed rail has been a failure to launch.
Great recognition of the amazing work being done in our upper elementary schools in San Carlos to prepare students for middle school.
www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/gues...
www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/gues...
Learning comes alive in San Carlos
Students at Arroyo and Mariposa upper elementary schools in the San Carlos School District are taking control of their learning, and the results are impressive.
www.smdailyjournal.com
May 8, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Great recognition of the amazing work being done in our upper elementary schools in San Carlos to prepare students for middle school.
www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/gues...
www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/gues...
California would be the 4th largest economy in the world if it was its own country. Wow!
NEW: California is now the FOURTH largest economy in the world.
Last year, the Golden State's GDP topped $4.1T — surpassing Japan ($4.02T) and behind only Germany ($4.65T), China ($18.74T), and the entire U.S. ($29.18T).
Last year, the Golden State's GDP topped $4.1T — surpassing Japan ($4.02T) and behind only Germany ($4.65T), China ($18.74T), and the entire U.S. ($29.18T).
April 24, 2025 at 5:58 AM
California would be the 4th largest economy in the world if it was its own country. Wow!