Environmental Review Complete for Key Northern California Section of High-Speed Rail Project

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) on February 25 released the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for a key section of the California High-Speed Rail Project in Northern California.

The EIR/EIS for the approximately 90-mile section of the route connecting San Jose to Merced Project in Northern California will be under consideration for approval at a two-day board meeting on April 20 and 21, according to a press release from CAHSRA published on February 25.

"In the San Jose to Merced Project Section, high-speed trains will travel through or near the cities of Santa Clara, San Jose, Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Los Banos, connecting Silicon Valley and the Central Valley," according to the press release. "The proposed preferred alternative alignment would include upgrading existing rail lines between San Jose and Gilroy and constructing a new high-speed rail alignment with more than 15 miles of tunnels through Pacheco Pass in the Diablo Range."

Roger Rudick had the scoop on the final EIR/EIS in an article for Streetsblog California, calling the San Jose to Merced Project Section an "all-important connection." Boris Lipkin, Northern California regional director for the project, is quoted in the article calling the EIR/EIS a big milestone for the project. Rudick's coverage includes more detail on the recent history of planning and politics on the project.