California High-Speed Rail: Palmdale to Burbank Project Section

California High-Speed Rail: Palmdale to Burbank Project Section

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) previously certified a Statewide Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Tier 1) in November 2005 as the first phase of a tiered environmental review process for the proposed California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System planned to provide a reliable, high-speed, electric-powered rail system that links the major metropolitan areas of the state and delivers predictable and consistent travel times. A further objective is to provide an interface with commercial airports, mass transit, and the highway network and to relieve capacity constraints of the existing transportation system as increases in intercity travel demand in California occur, in a manner sensitive to and protective of California’s unique natural resources. Based on the Statewide Program EIR/EIS, the Authority selected preferred corridors and station locations to advance for additional study. The Authority prepared an EIR/EIS that further examines the Palmdale to Burbank Section (Project Section) at the project level (Tier 2) within Los Angeles County. The project includes construction and operation of a grade separated, double track, electric-powered, passenger, steel-wheel-on-steel-rail, high speed railroad between Palmdale and Burbank. The Preferred Alternative for the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section analyzed in the EIR/EIS, the SR14A Build Alternative, is approximately 38 miles in length and is divided into two geographic subsections: the Central subsection and Burbank subsection. From the north, the Project Section begins in the city of Palmdale near the vicinity of Spruce Court just west of Sierra Highway, continues south and turn west to cross under the community of Acton, and continues southwest and turn south to travel beneath the Angeles National Forest, including the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The Preferred Alternative then enters the San Fernando Valley where it would connect with the Burbank Airport Station, ending at Winona Avenue in the city of Burbank. The Palmdale to Burbank Project Section would provide HSR service between the Palmdale Station and the Burbank Airport Station. Both of these stations have been previously approved by the Authority’s Board of Directors as a part of the adjacent project sections. The Palmdale Station was evaluated and approved by the Authority as part of the adjacent Bakersfield to Palmdale Project Section in August 2021 through resolutions # HSRA 21-05, # HSRA 21-06 and # HSRA 21-07. The Burbank Airport Station was evaluated and approved by the Authority as part of the adjacent Burbank to Los Angeles project section in January 2022 through resolutions # HSRA 22-01, # HSRA 22-02, and # HSRA 22-03. The design for the Burbank Subsection, including the Burbank Airport Station, has not changed from what was previously approved by the Authority’s Board of Directors. Through Resolution # HSRA 24-11, the Authority has approved the Palmdale to Burbank Project Section Preferred Alternative (SR14A) from the vicinity of Spruce Court in the city of Palmdale to Winona Avenue inclusive of the Burbank Airport Station in Burbank, as shown on the attached map.

Acton, Antelope Valley, Lake View Terrace, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Burbank, Palmdale, San Fernando

Los Angeles

Southern California