Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
APRIL 20, 2022
Subject
SUBJECT: HIGH DESERT CORRIDOR RAIL PROJECT
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. APPROVING $1,236,500 for Fiscal Year 2023 to complete the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental document for the High Desert Corridor (HDC) Rail Project and other related activities as further described in Attachment A;
B. APPROVING an increase of $500,000 in Life-of-Project (LOP) budget for the High Desert Intercity Rail Corridor Service Development Plan for a new total LOP budget of $5,125,000;
C. REPURPOSING $1,736,500 of Measure M High Desert Multipurpose Corridor (HDMC) funds identified in the Expenditure Plan for Right-of-Way acquisition for the High Desert Corridor High Speed Rail Project and the Service Development Plan to fund the above two recommendations; and
D. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and execute all necessary funding agreements with HDC JPA.
Issue
ISSUE
The HDC Rail Project requires additional funds to complete the CEQA/NEPA environmental document, Surface Transportation Board process, other HDC JPA related work and the HDC Service Development Plan.
Background
BACKGROUND
The High Desert Corridor Rail Project will provide a critical link to connecting the cities of Las Vegas and Los Angeles by way of a new high-speed intercity passenger rail service along a 54-mile east-west rail alignment from the future Brightline West Station in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County to the future Palmdale Multi-Modal High Speed Rail Station in Palmdale in Los Angeles County with rail transit connection to Los Angeles Union Station via Metrolink Antelope Valley Line, Antelope Valley Transit Authority Bus and future California High Speed Rail (HSR). A new intercity passenger HSR is needed between Las Vegas and Los Angeles to enhance regional, intercity an...
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