Metropolitan Bakersfield HighSpeed Rail Terminal Analysis and Evaluation

1
Metropolitan Bakersfield High-Speed Rail Terminal
Analysis and Evaluation

• A Presentation to the
• California High-Speed Rail Authority
• By the
• Kern Council of Governments
• November 14, 2001

2
California High-Speed Rail Act of 1996

• 185010(h) - the state must begin preparation of
  a high-speed intercity rail plan similar to
  Californias former freeway plan
• 185010(i) - build a high-speed rail system
  that will generate jobs and economic growth
• 185030 - that is fully integrated with the
  states existing rail and bus network

3
California High-Speed Rail Authority Final
Business Plan,June 2000Letter to the Governor

• The recommendations in this business plan are
  economically feasible, publicly popular, and
  fiscally prudent
• The importance of the states transportation
  infrastructure to the economic vitality of the
  state cannot be under-estimated.
• As important as the financial qualities of the
  project are, the benefits to the states
  citizenry, economy, and environment are equally
  as important.

4
Ridership and Revenue

• Trade-off between length and accessibility
• Antelope Valley/I-5 travel time difference (9-12)
  minutes) is 7 of total San Francisco-Los Angeles
  running time
• Antelope Valley alignment provides access to
  700,000 more people and 270,000 more jobs
• Normal 3-5 minute variation (actual time) is more
  than 1/3 of scheduled time difference
• Net Result Antelope Valley option results in
  higher cumulative ridership and revenue

5
Economic Integration
The Antelope Valley option provides

• Greater intermodal connectivity (Palmdale
  Regional Airport)
• Greater access to and support of key industrial
  resources (Plant 42, Edwards AFB, China Lake NW
  Station, etc.)
• Improved job/housing balance air quality
  congestion benefits
• More than 500 million in aggregate net new
  economic stimulus over project life-cycle

6
The Antelope Valley Alignment

• Is most consistent with federal, state, and local
  planning principles, including those of the
  California High-Speed Rail Authority.
• Will have the least overall impact on key
  environmental and socioeconomic resources.
• Enjoys unanimous support by Southern California
  and Central Valley elected officials, business
  groups, and other public interest organizations.

7
Kern Transportation Foundation High-Speed Rail
Committee
Seven potential high-speed rail terminals
evaluated in Metropolitan Bakersfield

• Comanche Drive/State Route 58
• Rosedale Highway/Allen Road
• Meadows Field Airport
• 7th Standard Road/West of State Route 99
• Golden State Avenue/M Street
• Truxtun Avenue/S Street
• Truxtun/Union Avenue

8
Evaluation Criteria

• Infrastructure improvements
• Intermodal connection
• Access to a metro area
• Rail alignment
• Train speed (geometrics)
• Utility availability
• Environmental issues
• Site purchase price
• Parking Availability
• Growth-inducing issues
• Access to existing support services

9
Focused Project Listing

• Based on scores received during the evaluation
  and screening process, three high-speed rail
  terminal sites were selected for further
  consideration
• 7th Standard Road/West of State Route 99
• Golden State/M Street
• Truxtun Avenue and S Street/Union

10
Terminal Analysis
11
Our Recommendations to the California High-Speed
Rail Authority

• That the Authority adopt the Antelope Valley
  Alignment as its preferred (baseline) routing
  between Bakersfield and Sylmar.
• The following terminal sites are recommended for
  further study by the Authority 7th Standard/West
  of State Route 99, Golden State/M Street, and
  Truxtun Avenue and S Street/Union Avenue.