New intercity rail service is being planned for the desert reaches between Los Angeles and the Palm Springs area.
The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) recently announced that it is nearing completion of an environmental impact report and service development plan for a daily passenger-rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley in California, according to an article published on January 22 by Progressive Railroading.
The "Coachella Valley – San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Project," as it's officially known, is the work of RCTC in partnership with Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration, and local partners.
The planning documents foresee twice-daily service from Los Angeles via Fullerton, Colton, and the San Gorgonio Pass to Indio or Coachella. "The 145-mile route would take less than three-and-a-half hours and offer an alternative to the often congested Route 91 and Interstate 10," according to the article.
A press release from RCTC provides more details about the project. RCTC is promising more details about public hearings on the draft reports, for example.
FULL STORY: RCTC advances LA-to-Coachella Valley rail proposal
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