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Palmdale to Burbank Palmdale to Burbank Project Section Update September 19, 2018 ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank HIGH-SPEED RAIL: CONNECTING CALIFORNIA ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank Public and Stakeholder Outreach & Input PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BOARD MEETING BOARD MEETING BOARD MEETING ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank High-Speed Rail Purpose & Need • Federal NEPA processes encourage federal and state agencies to identify a Preferred Alternative before the release of the Draft Environmental Documents • Staff recommends an alternative to the Board for their consideration prior to the release of the Draft EIR/EIS • The Board will then direct the staff on how to proceed • Staff is scheduled to present a recommendation to the Board on November 15, 2018 at a meeting to be held in the San Fernando Valley • After receiving direction from the Board, staff will prepare the Draft EIR/EIS for release in late 2019 STEPS TOWARD RELEASE OF DRAFT EIR/EIS “…provide the public with electric-powered high-speed rail service that offers predictable and consistent travel times between major urban centers…” ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank COLLABORATIVE APPROACH BALANCES MULTIPLE PRIORITIES ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank ROUTE CONCEPTS REFINED OVER TIME 2016 2010 2012 2014 2014 2015 ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank • Three Alternatives Refined SR14 E1 E2 • Length: 33-38 miles 22-25 miles of tunneling Intermediate access points for tunnels • Two Stations Palmdale Burbank • Key Considerations Highly-populated communities like Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Sylmar, San Fernando, Pacoima, Sun Valley Santa Clara River, Angeles National Forest (ANF), San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Unique character of communities like Acton, Agua Dulce, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills, Kagel Canyon PROJECT SECTION ALTERNATIVE OVERVIEW ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank PREVIEW OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD The Recommendation is the Refined SR14 or “Refined Alternative” • 38 mile route bounded by the Palmdale & Burbank Airport Stations • Five tunnels totaling approximately 24 miles Tunnel #1 is approximately 7-miles long Tunnel #3 is approximately 0.5-miles long Tunnel #4 is approximately 1-miles long Tunnel #5 is approximately 13-miles long Tunnel #2 is approximately 3-miles long • Starts at a multimodal station in Palmdale • Crosses the San Andreas Fault at grade • Bridges over the SR 14 near Red Rover Mine Road Interchange and the Santa Clara River • Tunnels underneath the ANF, Sylmar & most of Pacoima • Emerges in the San Fernando Valley near Branford Street in the industrial area of Pacoima • Enters the existing rail corridor and travels at grade along the east side • Enters a trench as it leaves the rail corridor to arrive at the Burbank Airport Station below grade ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank In comparison with the other two build alternatives... ADVANTAGES OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE the Refined SR 14 represents the best balance among the impacts across the many different factors that were studied. • is the easiest and fastest to construct • has the lowest constructability risk related to tunnels, hydrogeologic, and geologic conditions • has the lowest risk of unexpected conditions or circumstances that could impact the cost to build the project or the schedule to complete it • would generate the least amount of spoils from tunneling • would have fewer traffic and air quality impacts within the communities that surround it during construction ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank • avoids key archeological and tribal resources • reuses a former mining area for construction and thus has the potential benefit of restoring a highly degraded area of the back to natural conditions • has the lowest risk to impacting surface or groundwater and wildlife within the ANF Refined SR 14: • has the shortest tunnel under the Angeles National Forest (ANF) and the San Gabriel Mountain National Monument ADVANTAGES OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank Advantages • Provides sustainable reduction in travel time between major urban centers • Benefits air quality by decreasing regional greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions • Provides short and long-term employment benefits and improves access to jobs and housing HIGH-SPEED RAIL CONNECTION BETWEEN VALLEYS Our work is ongoing… Let’s keep working together! “…provide the public with electric-powered high-speed rail service that offers predictable and consistent travel times between major urban centers…” High-Speed Rail Purpose & Need ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank PROJECT SECTION TIMELINE * *Subject to Change ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank Monday, September 24 Angeles National Golf Club, Sunland 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. – Presentation Wednesday, September 26 Hubert H. Humphrey Recreation Center, Pacoima Live Webcast & Spanish Meeting 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. – English Presentation 7:00 p.m. – Spanish Presentation Thursday, September 27 Chimbole Cultural Center, Palmdale 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. – Presentation Saturday, September 29 High Desert School, Acton 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. – Presentation (866) 630-1039 [EMAIL REDACTED] Southern California Regional Office California High-Speed Rail Authority 355 S Grand Ave, Suite 2050 Los Angeles CA 90071 www.hsr.ca.gov @cahsra facebook.com/CaliforniaHighSpeedRail @cahsra youtube.com/CAHighSpeedRail UPCOMING OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS ---PAGE BREAK--- Palmdale to Burbank THANK YOU