California High-Speed Rail Authority, City Reach Agreement

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and the City of Brisbane, Calif., settled the City’s lawsuit regarding the high-speed rail project.

“This settlement reflects the significant efforts of two public agencies to develop a path forward for the public, which ensures we will carry out our responsibilities in a collaborative and open manner,” said Authority Board Member Jim Ghielmetti. “I’m proud of the work accomplished. It moves us forward to getting high-speed rail into the Bay Area as soon as possible.”

The Authority’s Agreement with Brisbane

To continue important statewide efforts for California High-Speed Rail and for housing and transit-oriented development on the Brisbane Baylands, the Authority and the City have developed a framework for their future collaboration on compatible projects. Among the items agreed upon, are:

• The Authority will study and propose for approval a revision to its high-speed rail light maintenance facility (LMF) that reduces the footprint by more than 50 acres, avoids City infrastructure and facilities, and adheres to other specific design criteria.
• The City will study in sufficient detail and propose for approval an alternative in its Baylands Specific Plan EIR that avoids the land use conflicts between the LMF and the proposed Baylands Project.
• The Authority and the City will collaborate on the aesthetic design of the LMF.
• The Authority and the City will collaborate on seeking funding opportunities that have a nexus to the public health and safety of the Brisbane Baylands.

California High-Speed Rail Progress

The High-Speed Rail Authority has begun work to extend the 119 miles under construction to 171 miles of electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield.

Since the start of construction, the Authority has created nearly 14,000 construction jobs, with more than 70% going to residents from disadvantaged communities.