Today, the California High-Speed Rail Authority approved a route for a high speed train that would would carry passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in under 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is responsible for building
and operating a high-speed train system that is integrated with the
state’s intercity trains and bus networks, covering some 800 miles at
speeds up to 220 mph. By linking all major cities, California’s planned
high-speed train system will increase mobility while reducing air
pollution and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global
warming. The system is forecast to carry over 100 million passengers
per year by 2030.
The Bay Area to Central Valley HST Final Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) outlines the planned route from San Francisco to the Central Valley. After an exhaustive review of route options, the Pacheco Pass alignment was selected to connect the Bay Area with the Central Valley via high-speed train. The Authority’s decision was a final step in completing the program-level environmental analysis for the 800-mile system, which determined the overall statewide route.
The Authority concluded that the Pacheco Pass alignment was the fastest and most environmentally responsible option for the high-speed train system, minimizing impacts on wetlands as well as the San Francisco Bay and eliminating the need for another San Francisco Bay crossing, bridge or tunnel.
Proposition 1, a $9.95 billion dollar bond measure, is on the November ballot with $9 billion for building the high-speed train system and $950 million for improvements to other rail services that connect to the high-speed train service. Proposition 1 requires a simple majority vote for approval.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who testified in support of the high-speed train system, hailed the action as a bold step for the future of California. "Energy efficient high-speed trains are essential for the economic future of the Bay Area as well as the future of the state in terms of our competitiveness. This is a vision that we can manifest in our lifetime. But now is the time to get moving, to lead with innovative and creative approaches to transportation and energy use. Now is the time to build this high-speed train."
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed hailed the decision as a boost for Silicon Valley. "The High-Speed Rail will connect the economic engines of Northern and Southern California and will help our economy to grow and thrive."
Today’s approval of the Pacheco Pass route will bring the trains into the Bay Area from Southern California and the Central Valley over the pass between the Los Banos area and Gilroy, north to San Jose, then up the Peninsula along the Caltrain’s right-of-way to San Francisco.
The Authority also committed to boosting regional rail commuter service
in partnership with local and regional agencies and transit providers
such as ACE and BART trains, via the Altamont Pass between
Sacramento/Northern San Joaquin Valley and Oakland/San Jose.
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