Public can comment now on plans for high speed rail segment from Los Angeles to Anaheim

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is looking for public feedback on a draft environmental document for the 30-mile segment connecting Los Angeles and Anaheim.

The stretch between L.A.’s Union Station and Anaheim’s ARTIC station would be the southernmost link of the first phase of the statewide high-speed rail project that California voters approved $10 billion in funding for in 2008.

Unlike northern portions of the rail project, where new track is under construction, the southern segment would use the Los Angeles to Anaheim rail corridor that currently exists, traveling through the cities of Los Angeles, Vernon, Commerce, Bell, Montebello, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, portions of unincorporated LA County, La Mirada, Buena Park, Fullerton and Anaheim.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority, a state agency, is responsible for bringing to life and operating the rail system that is envisioned to include up to 24 stations and 800 miles at total build out to provide faster transportation between the state’s most populated regions.

The authority plans to build in two phases. Phase 1 would connect San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim; it is estimated that travelers would be able to make that commute in approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes or less.

“The release of this environmental document represents an important step toward full environmental clearance for Phase I of the full 494-mile statewide high-speed rail system between the Bay Area and Los Angeles/Anaheim,” LaDonna DiCamillo, Southern California regional director, said in a statement. “This marks a significant and important milestone in connecting end-to-end from Southern California to Northern California.”

Phase 2 plans to connect the Central Valley to Sacramento and to extend the system south to San Diego.

The project, which for decades has grappled with ballooning costs and delays, was planned for completion by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion when it broke ground in 2015. Project estimates are now between $89 billion and $128 billion, with service expected to begin in 2033.

The Trump administration announced last year it was canceling more than $4 billion in federal grants once designated for the project. Late last week, California dropped a lawsuit challenging the administration’s decision.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority, which filed the lawsuit in July, said it plans to focus on other funding sources and to move forward without federal funding.

The draft environmental document that was recently released outlines alternatives for segments connecting Los Angeles to Anaheim for public consideration.

The authority endorses a shared passenger track with a light maintenance facility at 26th Street in Vernon. Alternative B proposes a double-ended shared passenger track with a facility at 15th Street in Los Angeles.

The draft also evaluates an option for one “intermediate high-speed rail station,” at either the existing Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink Station or the Fullerton Metrolink/Amtrak Station.

A last option would be to forgo the project entirely.

The public comment period is open until Feb. 3.

There are remaining in-person meetings for public comment on Jan. 12 at the Anaheim Brookhurst Community Center and on Jan. 22 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Commerce.

An online public hearing will be held on Jan. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m, which can be registered for at bit.ly/LA-APublicHearing.

Public comments can also be emailed to Los.Angeles_Anaheim@hsr.ca.gov with the subject line “LA-Anaheim Draft EIR/EIS Comment” or by calling 877-669-0494.

Learn more at hsr.ca.gov.