![Some Antelope Valley residents have said the high-speed rail line would divide the community of Lake View Terrace, threaten wildlife and hurt property values.[Image courtesy High Speed Rail Authority]](https://www.theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/High-Speed-Rail-2.jpg)
Supervisor Michael Antonovich recommended that the board send a letter opposing the plan — one of three alternatives set for environmental review — to county lobbyists and the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board.
The letter will also state that the board opposes any segment that would cross the Big Tujunga Wash at or above grade, tell the High-Speed Rail Authority that the remaining two alternatives also pose threats to homes and wildlife areas, and press for an update on long-awaited hydrological and technical studies.
In 2013, Antonovich asked the authority to underground most of the Palmdale-to-Burbank segment of the state’s bullet train route, which is about 35-45 miles long and runs through rural, urban and densely populated communities, as well as portions of the Angeles National Forest.
The agency agreed to tunnel through the San Gabriel Mountains, but the new plans have created other problems, Antonovich said.
Antelope Valley residents told the board the high-speed rail line would divide the community of Lake View Terrace, threaten wildlife and hurt property values.
The train — projected to run from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than three hours by 2029 — is designed to travel at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Proponents have stressed safety measures and lower failsafe speed restrictions along stretches of the track.
The HSR project — approved by voters in 2008 and last estimated to cost $64 billion — has been plagued by delays and opposition at almost every turn. But proponents say it is less than half the cost of infrastructure improvements to highways and airports that would be necessary without the train. The train also has the advantage of paying customers to fund operating and maintenance costs, unlike most highway projects.
Previous related story: AV residents sound off on high-speed rail
gerry says
Give it up already. We voted for a project that would cost 32 million, it will wind up at LEAST that. They already say it will not meet the time tables proposed to us, the voters. They admit the numbers are not there to support operation of the train and it will need millions of tax dollars each year to operate with ticket prices anywhere under $100 one way.
We already have jets flying LAX/SFO if they are full , FLY BIGGER JETS, remember when PSA flew an L-1011 LAX/SFO $19.95 cheap seats an all. Hook LAX up to light rail so people can get to the airport, having no direct connection to the airport was insane, the tracks run right next to it.
The state does not need trains that will be underused but admired, the state needs more water projects.
Jason Zink says
Let’s be Real! It’s going too go along the 5 like it was proposed originally. No one in the State or LA or up North cares about AV! Look at it as an outsider and investor, and the costs and the NIMBY problems. The best thing AV can do is fight for funds to place the existing rail road and metro in a trench underneath surface streets and solve the biggest congestion problem in AV and into the future.
Get Palmdale Airport up and running with service from up north to Bakersfield to Palmdale to Las Vegas. We can fly any where in the world from Vegas, and make AV less isolated to new investment. We can’t even get engineer’s to move here or stay here because of isolation and I dont blame them. We are known as Aerospace Valley and Capital, and have billion dollar airplane contracts. Yet no air service???? Local politicians suck, time to elect new people!
Mr fed up says
the HSR is the worst project and billions over budget in history. Theres been no effort to inprove a rail system built in the 1800’s when every city didnt exsist now 150 years later trying to cut through infrusturce and protected wildlands cor a system that probably go bankrupt before completion, wait what ks the lrolosed completion date??????????
William says
Good thing you aren’t in charge.
Build The Train says
It truly shows a lack of leadership by the board of supervisors. We need real transportation options. They are taking the easy way out by opposing every alternative.
William says
How ’bout the HSR just skipping Los Angeles/Burbank etc. altogether and just going from Palmdale to San Diego through an inland route through Victorville and San Bernadino/ Riverside etc.?
Tim Scott says
Skipping LA would pretty much defeat the purpose. Like it, hate it, anything but ignore it…LA is the engine that makes California go.
Not Our William says
This cannot be a comment from the real William. The real William knows that the largest city in the state and second largest city in the nation has to be part of the system for it to succeed.
William says
Yes. It was me. I was being facetious
If the supervisors were really and truly concerned about the issues facing Lake View Terrace and other places, they wouldn’t have let development run amok for lo these many decades which has done far more damage than a HSR would do.
They are simple people.
Just whom do they think they are fooling?
William says
Yes. It was me. I was being facetious
If the supervisors were really and truly concerned about the issues facing Lake View Terrace and other places, they wouldn’t have let development run amok for lo these many decades which has done far more damage than a HSR would do.
They are simple people.
Just whom do they think they are fooling?
William says
Really? Los Angeles has spread out and developed over every hill and dale and now they are concerned about a HSR that will alleviate traffic on the loaded freeways which they didn’t mind building everywhere, wider and wider.
Didn’t those developments and freeways destroy whatever the supervisors are trying to protect?
Don’t build anything else Los Angeles. Stop all development then.
Lilly says
This train is much needed and would help a lot of commuters from the AV to LA. I just dont understand why they would build it underground. It will run right along a fault line so to build it underground is suicide.
Alan says
It’s about 400 miles to Frisco…why does it take 3 hours if it goes 200 miles. Even taking into account stops and lower speeds at stations, should be less than 3 hours. I can drive there in 5-1/2. How much will the tickets be to pay for some of this? It’s a waste of money.
Laughing says
Taking your distance, 400 miles and dividing by 2 for the trains speed of 200 MPH that is two hours. If we take into account say 10 stops between LA and Frisco at 5 minutes each, then we add another 50 minutes. Of course the train has to slow and accelerate at each stop, plus slow zones so round it up to a full hour easy. There 3 hours.
How about all those people that do not drive but want to travel? Or those that do not want to travel the freeway system during wind/dust/flooding rain storms? Ticket prices will vary based on distance, specials, discounts, and of course passenger load (the more that ride, the lower the price should go, but doubt it).
It is not a waste of money in everyones eyes, but glad you have car and are willing to travel that extra 2.5 hours and pay for parking at the other end, plus the fuel costs (which vary widely, my little commuter gets decent mileage, the Landrover not so much.)
Lae says
as someone who drives to san francisco (please, not “frisco”) fairly regularly, it can (and often) takes more than 5 1/2 hours to get there… accounting for gas & bathroom breaks.
Mel says
“Antelope Valley residents told the board the high-speed rail line would divide the community of Lake View Terrace…” Huh.
Matt K. says
Right?!?!?!?!?? …When did Antelope Valley residents start caring about Lake View Terrace? …Was it back when Lake View Terrace started caring about us???
Oh. Nevermind.
William says
Criminy. The SR 14 divides the cities of Palmdale, Lancaster and Rosamond and I’m not sure if Acton sits on boths sides of it too.
The I-5, I-405, US 101 and a few other freeways ‘divide’ the San Fernando Valley and I’m sure they divide it louder than a HSR would.
And, I’m sure residents of Lake View Terrace drive on freeways that go right past the backyards of other people’s houses. They should be ashamed of themselves. LOL
Next problem, supervisors????
Jim G says
Every community needs to make sacrifices.
How did we ever build our current freeway infrastructure?
And yes even wildlife!
10dog says
This as a total waste of money we don’t have!
Resident says
It’s either that, or spend twice as much on roads and airports.
Tim Scott says
If that were even possible.
The Newhall Pass is currently nine lanes each way. How much more road can you build, at any price?
LAX has much bigger tickets to fry than little commuter hops up the coast. Bob Hope and John Wayne airports are pretty close to capacity and also could easily replace every flight going to San Fransisco with another more profitable route.
The people who are spewing out “we don’t need this” are using the “we” that actually means “I,” and as is so often the case they refuse to recognize what benefits they get from being a part of society and just want to cry about the costs.
Tim Scott says
Correction. The Newhall Pass is either eleven or twelve lanes each way. Not sure exactly, but it certainly isn’t nine.
William says
Santa Clarita which didn’t want a HSR station but sure didn’t have a problem building a million condos on the east side of the 14 and dumping 2 million cars on the road every morning during rush hour.
It will serve them right in 20 years when driving to work in LA becomes impossible for them while the HSR passes them by like they’re standing still.
I cringe whenever I drive by that high density bee hive. You couldn’t pay me to live there.
10dog says
No just fix the one we have now
Tim Scott says
Fix what? What is this that you think we “have” that needs to be fixed?
Laughing says
Create a magical portal at Sierra and Hwy 138, the train goes in and then moments later magically appears in Burp-bank at the station.
Resident says
If the Palmdale Portal is the Blue entrance, how would the train come back? The cake must be a lie.