CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
PREPARED BY: Edith Ramirez, Economic Development Director/Community Development
APPROVED BY: City Manager
TITLE
HIGH SPEED RAIL UPDATE
END
RECOMMENDATION(S)
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the High Speed Rail Verbal Update.
BODY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GOALS & STRATEGIES:
Ongoing Priorities
Protecting the environment
Preserving and cultivating public trust
2016 Focus Areas
Planning Our Community
Developing Our Community
Improving Our Communication
Participate in Regional Issues
REPORT NARRATIVE:
On June 1, 2016, the City Council received a presentation by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) regarding the status of their project. At that meeting, the City Council approved a reimbursement agreement with the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), the State Agency responsible for the planning, design and construction of the California high speed rail system that will connect the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles (eventually from Sacramento to San Diego) with a train system that will operate at speeds over 200 miles per hour. The City Council also approved two additional consultant contracts with Apex Strategies and David J. Powers and Associates to support the City in the review of the High Speed Rail project.
Many meetings have taken place over the last couple of months, including internal and regional technical meetings, and a regional Working Group meeting comprised of representatives from the communities of Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy. At this Working Group meeting, a revised Highway 101 alignment was unveiled.
High Speed Rail staff and the City of Morgan Hill are assembling additional information needed to better understand the project, its impacts, and to visually articulate the various project alignment alternatives which are:
1. At grade, east of the UPRR tracks on Monterey Road
2. Elevated in a viaduct east of the UPRR tracks on Monterey Road
3. Eleva...
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