Mark an urban awakening.

California will receive $2.25 billion - more than any other corridor - to help build the 800-mile high-speed rail project, which has an estimated construction cost of $42 billion. State voters in 2008 approved the sale of $10 billion in bonds to help build the system.

"This award is fantastic news for California and for our state's high-speed rail project," said Curt Pringle, chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority and mayor of Anaheim. "This award will go toward specific projects, but it will benefit every single section of our planned high-speed rail system by moving this entire vision closer ... to being the first true high-speed rail system in the United States."

It's unclear whether San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center, which is expected to be the terminus for the high-speed rail system, will get any of the money. Officials with the agency planning the center hoped to receive $400 million in stimulus money to help build a high-speed rail station in the basement of the new terminal.

"In theory, we could be in there, and in theory, we could not," said Adam Alberti, spokesman for the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.

Obama and Biden are scheduled to announce the Recovery Act grants at an event this morning in Florida. Grants will be awarded to 13 regional corridors, passing through 31 states.

California's application asked for $4.7 billion, including the $400 million for the Transbay terminal. The state's request asked for certain amounts for each of four segments, and for wrapping up planning and environmental studies.

There were few details, however, outlining exactly how the grants should be spent.

A White House document says only that the $2.25 billion is for "work (that) will include purchasing right-of-way, constructing track, signaling systems, and stations, and completing environmental reviews and engineering documents." Another document lists four segments - San Francisco-San Jose, Merced-Fresno, Fresno-Bakersfield and Los Angeles-Anaheim - where the money is to be spent.

Quentin Kopp, an authority member, said he believes the administration will leave it up to rail officials to determine how the money is divided.

"It was expectable and fitting that California's project received more funds than any other project in the nation," he said. "California has put more time, money and effort into high-speed rail and is more advanced. It's important that California now continue that momentum."

E-mail Michael Cabanatuan at mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

I've been waiting for this announcement -- couldn't come soon enough. I just wish I didn't have to wait until 2020 to start riding this thing...

Great video -- I was aware driving was subsidized heavily by way of freeway/road maintenance but had never considered free parking as another example.

Note to self: drive even less. If I'm going to be spending money on getting around, I'd rather that money go towards a service promoting a better and more sustainable lifestyle.

$19.95 -- "proceeds from each tee sold to organizations promoting marriage equality."

Looking down the road -- it looks like we'll prob. be in for a wet few weeks. Very unusual for our area but much like I remember we had last time El Nino rolled through. I'll prob have to get used to riding in the rain again, and if not, riding on the rollers or running.

The more I thought about my weight problem, the more I knew I couldn’t totally blame my binary code. Binary code could be rewritten. I could retrain myself and rewrite my future. A really old comic strip character, Pogo, once said: “I saw the enemy, and he is us.” That sure fit me as I started looking for reasons I was overweight. I could do a lot to counteract the build I had inherited instead of giving up. The first thing I did was identify what was putting on the pounds.

I enjoyed reading about this kids approach in dropping 150lbs. He performs a thorough self analysis and then looks for ways to tackle each problem. Even then, however, he says it didn't come quickly or naturally. His turning point was hitting a point where he actually began to enjoy exercise...

Not sure how many others have followed this case, but I think the sentencing is perfect -- he tried to "teach" these cyclists a "lesson" with his car. If you've never had this happen to you might have a hard time imagining just how threatening a car is in the hands of an angry, aggressive driver when you yourself are fully exposed and without any sort of protection.

He might not have thought out the consequences for them (or himself) -- maybe he didn't mean for them to smash through his window (where one's nose was nearly severed from his face) but he meant for something to happen. Honestly, he's lucky that neither of them died or were paralyzed.

I clock several dozen hours on my road bike every month. Not a month goes by that I don't have some hair raising encounter with a raged driver. And I promise you that none of them were ever preceded by an illegal or discourteous act of my own (though I do usually flip them the bird directly afterwards -- before I get control of my adrenaline).

In the end, I suspect the number of people who actively intimidate cyclists is very very small -- far below 1%; but like the Dr. in this example, they are almost guaranteed to be repeat offenders who see it as a risk free (to themselves) crime.

But, honestly, if you can't control your temper while behind the wheel, you shouldn't be allowed to drive. I would support any legislation to this effect, much like we have on the books for driving under the influence.

I stop by Ritual most Tues/Thurs mornings to meet friends and grab an espresso before heading out on our commute. GQ lists them as one of the best places in the States for coffee...