SAN JOSE, Calif. — The California High-Speed Rail Authority has released the final environmental report for the San Jose-San Francisco section of the project, moving closer to receiving environmental clearance for the entire San Francisco-Los Angeles route.
The authority board of directors will consider the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement at its meeting in August, along with approval of the preferred route between San Francisco and Santa Clara, Calif.
The San Jose-San Francisco segment will use the existing Caltrain rail line, with straightening of tracks to improve travel times. Under either of the two alternatives to be considered by the board, the existing Caltrain station at 4th and King Streets in San Francisco would be used on an interim basis, with modification to accommodate high speed equipment, until a connection is built to the Salesforce Transit Center currently used for bus service. The Caltrain station at Millbrae would be modified to provide a Bay Area Rapid Transit connection to San Francisco International Airport; a light maintenance facility would also be built, and additional safety improvements would be made. One of the alternatives also includes construction of an additional passing track.
“We’re making true progress on nearing full environmental clearance for the entire Phase 1 high-speed rail project,” Authority CEO Brian Kelly said in a press release. “With 380 miles from the Bay Area to northern Los Angeles County already complete, today’s release brings us into San Francisco and nearly 423 miles to be environmentally cleared. We look forward to the Board’s consideration of this document in August.”
The environmental documents for the San Francisco-San Jose segment are available here.
Share this article
