MEETING REPORT

California High-Speed Rail Authority -- Community Meeting

Glassell Park, June 25, 2005

Reported by Paul J. Dyson, RailPAC Director
Member, Burbank Transportation Commission

The meeting was organized by CA assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, and also attended by Congressman Xavier Becerra. There were about 50 people in the audience, including a number of rail and transit advocates.

Mehdi Morshed oF CHSRA gave a presentation that had specific emphasis on the route options between Glendale and LAUS. The two options studied are:

I-5 to Glendale Blvd then south of the freeway and partially in tunnel under Elysian Park, thence across the Cornfield Yard and due South into LAUS.

Parallel to San Fernando Road, elevated, across I-5 and then tangentially across to LAUS parallel to Main. Another option would be to continue due south alongside the river with an east L.A. station across the river from the current Red Line shops. (1st street).

Morshed took pains to stress that the proposed routes are only conceptual and are still subject to the EIR and planning processes.

What was clear from the meeting is that because of the delays to financing this project there is no defined route on any development plans. As a result local citizens and planners are advocating parks, a high school, and even relocating rail tracks away from the river (sic) in order to improve the neighborhoods, without reference to the future needs as a transportation corridor.

Of the locals in attendance, most were in general in favor of rail but were concerned about grade separation and pollution issues. They'd like to see the right of way incorporate the Metrolink and freight tracks and grade separate everything.

A group of "activists" questioned the need for the line to come to LAUS at all, believing (obviously without reference to a map) that the 405 was a more direct way to San Diego. L.A.'s station should be on the Westside or near the airport. Thinly disguised NIMBYism I'd have to say. The politicians present hedged their bets with their comments.

Bart Reed of the Transit Coalition (and a RailPAC director) made some excellent points about the need for the line, especially to serve the Central Valley cities as bus routes have disappeared and air travel is expensive on those short-haul routes.

Interestingly, no one mentioned MagLev, presumably the locals hadn't heard about it. Morshed looked rather jaded and constantly pled poverty, saying he only had a couple of staff members. This did not inspire confidence in the writer.