Item Number: 23
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: November 19, 2024
Submitted By:
Keith C. Metzler, City Manager
Subject:
Southwest Region High-Speed Rail Integration Project
Recommendation:
That Your Honorable City Council approve a support letter for the High Desert Corridor (HDC) Southwest Region High-Desert Speed Rail Integration Project (Integration Project) grant request from the Federal Railroad Administration Federal State Partnership program.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal A - Financial Sustainability.
Background:
At the City Council meeting of July 19, 2022, it was moved by Mayor Jones with the majority approval to adopt Resolution No. 22-030 approving the Joint Powers Agreement creating the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency (JPA) between the County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, City of Adelanto, City of Lancaster, City of Palmdale, and the City of Victorville. The JPA was created to pursue funding and provide for the new planning, design, construction financing, operation, and maintenance of a new freeway/expressway known as the High Desert Corridor (HDC) between the County of Los Angeles in the vicinity of the Cities of Lancaster and Palmdale and the County of San Bernardino in the vicinity of the Cities of Victorville Apple Valley, and Adelanto. The Authority is a project specific JPA formed to develop transportation options between the Antelope Valley (Los Angeles County) and Victor Valley (San Bernardino County), and the HDC received California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) clearance and determined there would be a multi-modal corridor with a highway and high-speed rail line in the median connecting the counties of Los Angeles 3 8
7 3
and San Bernardino. However, in 2020, partially due to litigation and funding issues, the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) eliminated the highway portion of the HDC. The high-speed rail line is still being pursued and would link the state high-speed rail station in Palmdale with an anticipated station in Apple Valley. The Apple Valley station would connect to the planned Express West high-speed rail line to Las Vegas pursued by private enterprise Brightline West. Currently, the HDC Rail project is in the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental process under the direction of the Federal Railroad Administration.
Discussion:
The High Desert Corridor JPA was recently made aware of a grant through the Federal- State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP) Program allowing to further expand funding opportunities. The Integration Project federal grant request is focusing on an advanced conceptual planning and design to coordinate with the California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) Palmdale Station and Brightline West Victor Valley Station to ensure seamless interoperability between the high-speed rail projects. The Federal Railroad Association grant is an 80/20 grant opportunity, and the total federal FSP grant request is $42M for station integration. This grant is proposed to be matched with Measure M (LA County) and the CA TIRCP (California Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program). The High Desert Corridor Joint Power Agency is requesting the City of Victorville to submit a letter of support to assist in applying for funding under the Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Attachment A). Staff will remain available for any questions or comments you may have.
Attachments: A. Letter of Support