HUH?

I don't know whether or not I support replacing bus service from the Oakland Coliseum BART station to Oakland International Airport with an AirBART train line (the cost to riders is expected to go from $3 to $7 each way) but something fairly ridiculous has reared it's ugly head.

The project stands to lose $70 Million in federal funding if it does not complete and submit an analysis of whether this project will adversely affect minority communities. This report is due on March 5.

WTF?

AirBART's route does not go through any residential neighborhoods, so I'm not sure what this reasoning is about. There is a lot of opposition to this project, so it's probably just a ploy to have the project not built. The total cost of the 3.2 mile extension is $440 Million and is expected to be completed by 2013.

I'm wondering if this reason can be used to stop construction of the Central Subway in San Francisco, where the 1.5 mile subway system is being constructed for $1.6 Billion.