On Thursday, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for high-speed rail service between Burbank and Los Angeles.
The approval means 300 miles of the 500-mil Phase 1 high-speed rail project from San Francisco to Los Angeles can proceed to full California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) clearance. The board’s action is the second certification of an environmental document in Southern California and the first in the Los Angeles Basin.
“Today’s approval represents a historic milestone and brings us closer to providing the first high-speed rail system in the United States,” said Authority CEO Brian Kelly. “We appreciate the continued support and collaboration with local and regional agencies and stakeholders as we work together to improve transportation in California.”
The certification of the Final EIR/EIS for the 14-mile stretch from Burbank to Los Angeles is a milestone that moves the project closer to being “shovel ready” when funding becomes available. That section connects the high-speed rail system from a new Hollywood Burbank Airport Station to the Los Angeles Union Station. It provides an additional link between downtown Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.
The project section will primarily use existing railroad right-of-way adjacent to the Los Angeles River through Burbank, Glendale, and Los Angeles. Officials said that high-speed rail service through the area would improve air quality, decrease congestion and increase mobility.
The certification and approval of the project section put the entire project on track for completion by 2023. Currently, 119 miles are under construction with 35 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, creating more than 7,000 jobs since the start of construction.