California’s ambitious high-speed rail project took a significant step forward with a recent settlement between the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and the City of Brisbane, near San Francisco.
The settlement resolves a legal dispute regarding the rail line’s development in the Bay Area, bringing the long-awaited project closer to reality for Northern California. The agreement focuses on the planned extension of California’s high-speed rail line, which aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley.
“This settlement reflects the significant efforts of two public agencies to develop a path forward for the public,” Authority board member Jim Ghielmetti said in a statement on Thursday. “It moves us forward to getting high-speed rail into the Bay Area as soon as possible.”
The City of Brisbane had been embroiled in a two-year dispute with the Authority over the proposed placement of a light maintenance facility (LMF) on the Baylands, a former landfill and rail yard in the city.
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The agreement includes a revision to the LMF’s footprint, reducing its size by over 50 acres to avoid conflicts with the city’s infrastructure and future development projects.
Brisbane City Manager Jeremy Dennis said he was optimistic about the collaboration.
“For the better part of two years, the City and the Authority reviewed complex issue after complex issue, consulted experts and agreed on responsible paths forward,” Dennis said. “We will continue to meet regularly in the years to come recognizing that we both have a duty to protect the health and welfare of the current and future residents of the Brisbane Baylands.”
The settlement also includes a reference to the ongoing need for collaboration between the Authority and the city. Both parties committed to working together on funding opportunities to improve safety and protect against sea level rises in the Baylands, which will support future housing developments for up to 2,200 families.
But it will be several years before any high-speed trains are operational in the Bay Area.
The statewide project, first proposed in 2008, eventually aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley, with trains exceeding 200 mph.
At the time, the project was anticipated to be operational by 2020 and cost $33 billion.
Though delays and cost increases have plagued the project, substantial progress has been made.
Currently, 119 miles of track are under construction in the Central Valley, part of the initial 171 mile section between Merced and Bakersfield.
The estimated cost for the Central Valley segment alone is now estimated to be $35 billion, and the full Los Angeles-San Francisco route could potentially cost $100 billion.
Completion of the Central Valley segment is now expected between 2030 and 2033.
