History of High-Speed Rail

CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL - UPDATE

Morgan Hill to Gilroy Community Working Group Webinar – Thursday, March 10, 2022, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

The Authority held a virtual Community Working Group meeting to provide an overview of the Draft Business Plan, respond to questions, provide an update on the release of the Final EIR, and discuss next steps.  

Draft 2022 Business Plan
The Draft Business Plan was released on February 8, 2022. There is a 60-day public comment period that ends on April 11, 2022. Public comments on the plan can be submitted directly through the Authority’s website. The Draft Plan will be presented to the Board of Authority on April 20^th and 21^st with final Business Plan due to Legislature by May 1, 2022.

The Final EIR
The California High Speed Rail Authority (Authority) released the Final EIR/EIS on February 25, 2022, for the approximately 90-mile San Jose to Merced Project Section. The Authority’s Board of Directors will consider the final document for certification and Record of Decision (ROD) by the Board on April 20 and 21, 2022.  The Final EIR includes an analysis of alternative rail alignments, project impacts, and mitigations to reduce project impacts.  It also includes responses to public comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS and revisions that address the public comments. Approval of the Project Final EIR enables the Authority to advance the project.  This includes seeking funding from state and federal sources and advance design, third – party agreements, right-of-way mapping, and appraisals.

Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) released

On April 23, 2021, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) released, for public review and comment under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Revised Draft EIR/Supplemental Draft EIS) for the San José to Merced Section of the California High-Speed Rail Project to address the recent listings of mountain lions as a state candidate species and of monarch butterflies as a federal candidate species. The document also proposes new mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of noise and lighting on wildlife during project construction and operation. The official 45-day public comment period began Friday, April 23, 2021, and ended Wednesday, June 9, 2021.

•  Revised Draft EIR/Supplemental Draft EIS (HTML)

Revised 2020 Draft Business Plan for High-Speed Rail

A Draft 2020 Business Plan was issued February 12, 2020, with an initial 60-day public comment period that was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic to June 1, 2020. Subsequently, final adoption was further extended to April 15, 2021

A Revised Draft 2020 Business Plan was issued on February 9, 2021, including an additional 30-day comment period. The 2020 Business Plan was adopted by the Authority Board of Directors on Thursday, March 25, and submitted to the state legislature on Monday, April 12, 2021.

• Revised 2020 Business Plan (pdf)

2020 - Background on Meetings & Outreach

• A survey was conducted in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Chinese (Traditional). Feedback was due by Friday, October 9, 2020.
• October 22, 2020 - California High Speed Rail Community Working Group Virtual Meeting
• Morgan Hill’s Response Letter EIR/EIS San Jose to Merced High Speed Rail project. (pdf)

Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) released.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the San Jose to Merced Project Section of the California High-Speed Rail Project. 

The Draft EIR/EIS evaluates the impacts and benefits of a no project Alternative and four end-to-end project alternatives (Alternatives 1 to 4), including stations. The Authority’s Preferred Alternative under NEPA, which serves as the proposed project for CEQA, is Alternative 4. It includes two stations (San Jose Diridon and Downtown Gilroy), an a Maintenance of Way Facility (MOWF), an Maintenance of way siding (MOWS), two tunnels, and traction power facilities.

Environmental Impact Documents (LINK to High Speed Rail Authority)

• Notice of Availability (PDF)
• Online Meeting Notice Flyer (PDF)
• Draft Environmental Impact Report Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Community Resource Guide on the Environmental Process (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Environmental Process (PDF)

High Speed Rail Interactive Map showing properties and proposed alignment

The comment period was April 24 to June 8, 2020. 

Webinars

2020 Draft Business Plan for High Speed Rail
Draft Plan (PDF)

Online Comment Form on the 2020 Draft Business Plan
Business Plan Comments

Previous Meeting Information

The California High Speed Rail Authority held a meeting on September 17, 2019, to approve the Staff Recommended Preferred Alternative for inclusion in the San Jose to Merced Project: Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium 70 W Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95110.  

Link to the agenda: https://hsr.ca.gov/docs/brdmeetings/2019/brdmtg_091719_Board_Meeting_Agenda.pdf  (PDF)

City’s letter on the Staff Recommended Preferred Alternative (PDF)

On August 14th High Speed Rail Authority conducted two public meetings in the City of Morgan Hill, Council Chambers of Morgan Hill, 9 a.m. -11 a.m. and 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

July 17, 2019, Workshop in the Morgan Hill City Council Chamber

1. Presentation: Staff-Recommended State’s Preferred Alternative Morgan Hill-Gilroy Technical Working Group Meeting (PDF)
2. Agenda: July 10, 2019 Technical Working Group Morgan Hill-Gilroy (PDF)
3. Fact Sheet:  Staff-Recommended State’s Preferred Alternative (PDF)
4. Key Differentiators for Section San Jose to Merced (PDF)

On June 1, 2018, the California High Speed Rail Authority published it’s Final 2018 Business Plan (PDF).

On March 9, 2018, the California High Speed Rail Authority released it’s 2018 Draft Business Plan (PDF). The plan was released and is available for public comment.

Key Highlights in the 2018 Draft Business Plan

• The draft business plan acknowledges cost increases affecting each segment of the project ranging from 20-35% and revised schedules that would push out delivery dates for the Silicon Valley to Central Valley Line and Phase 1 System. 
• The revised baseline cost estimates show an increase in costs largely driven by the effects of inflation, increased contingencies and previously identified construction delays in the Central Valley. These areas make up 83% of the cost increases associated with the full Phase 1 System build-out between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Anaheim.
• The schedule for the Silicon Valley to Central Valley Line (San Francisco to Bakersfield) and the full Phase 1 System (San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim) are pushed out by as much as four years.
• The draft plan outlines a financing strategy consistent with the one outlined in the 2016 Business Plan to better align the timing of Cap-and-Trade funds so that the project can be delivered in a manner that provides benefits to Californian at the earliest possible time.
• The draft plan reflects the Authority’s commitment to apply lessons learned and make organizational improvements necessary to deliver this project to initiate high-speed rail service between the Silicon Valley and the Central Valley as soon as possible, while completing environmental work and making important investments in Southern California.

2018 Draft Business Plan for High Speed Rail
Draft Plan (PDF)

Online Comment Form on the 2018 Draft Business Plan
Business Plan Comments

Prior Actions

On November 15, 2017, Morgan Hill City Council conducted a study session on High Speed Rail related to design alternatives for the proposed Highway 101 alignment.  Michael Baker International provided an overview of the three alternatives studied within the 101 corridor.  These findings were then shared with High Speed Rail on the feasibility and likelihood as an alignment alternative.

The meeting documents and presentation can be found on the documents and presentation page.

Michael Baker International—Review of Highway 101 Alternative
Michael Baker International is an experienced railroad transit engineering firm that is currently under contract with the City to evaluate Quit Crossings. We are asking this firm for a technical railroad and transit engineering review of the Highway 101 corridor alignment.

Urban Field Studio—Design Guidelines
Urban Field Studio, under the leadership of Frank Fuller, will help the City of Morgan Hill develop project-specific design guidelines to improve on the HSR design through Morgan Hill to: a) develop design solutions through the potentially most impacted areas, such as the Walnut Grove neighborhood, through the Monterey segment adjacent the Morgan Hill Ranch Business Park and Downtown and b) develop design enhancements that take into account the community’s desire for access, circulation, lighting, art, parks and trails, and gateway designs.

Kitchell Cem—City Standards
Kitchell Cem is a General Contractor that offers construction management, real estate development, program management, engineering, and architecture, among other services. Kitchell will review the City’s construction standards (City Standards) and update them and create new ones with HSR’s project in mind. Companies constructing in Morgan Hill are required to abide by the City’s Standards.

You will find additional information on the High Speed Rail project on the new pages dedicated to:

High Speed Rail Meetings
Documents and Presentations
Background information

Contact
For more information from the California High-Speed Rail program:
Helpline: 1-800-455-8166, Email.