California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

2007-08 – 2017-18 California State Rail Planperiods, and one to two hour intervals at other times. Ridership is projected at5.1 million passenger round-trips in the first year, based on an average $50 onewayfare. This ridership level represents 28 percent of the projected 18.2 milliontrips between Southern California and Las Vegas. Much of the route would useproperty along the I-15 alignment that is owned by the federal Government andadministered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Between Victorvilleand Barstow, a passenger-exclusive alignment within existing railroad rights ofway is also being evaluated.The station at Victorville would be located along the west side of I-15 near theStoddard Wells Road interchanges. The 50-acre train maintenance and storagefacility would be located near the Victorville station, and would include trainstorage tracks, the repair shop, a fueling station, the train washing facility, andparts storage as well as the operations control center and administrative offices.The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is evaluating three alternative LasVegas stations: at the south end of the Strip; in the middle of the Strip; anddowntown Las Vegas; all with access to shuttles serving the resorts and the centralbusiness district, taxis and rental cars. Also, there is potential for a directconnection to the Las Vegas Monorail.In July 2006, DesertXpress petitioned the Federal Surface Transportation Board[Finance Docket No. 34914] to issue a Declaratory Order finding that their project,the proposed construction of an interstate high speed passenger rail system, is notsubject to state and local environmental review and land use and other permittingrequirements because of the Federal preemption in 49 U.S.C. 10501(b). TheBoard issued the requested Declaratory Order in June 2007.The Federal Railroad Administration, as the lead agency, is currently preparing, ina coordinated, fast-track manner, a draft federal EIS with the CooperatingAgencies: the Surface Transportation Board, the Bureau of Land Management andthe Federal Highway Administration. DesertXpress Enterprises is privatelyfunding the EIS work under the federal third party contracting approach. Scopingmeetings were held in July 2006, to receive public input. Interagency workinggroups have been formed to receive input and to coordinate on design, right-ofwayand environmental elements of the project.In California, DesertXpress has reviewed their proposed project with theGovernor’s Office of Planning and Research, the Business, Transportation andHousing Authority, the California Transportation Commission, the CaliforniaDepartment of Transportation, the San Bernardino Associated Governments,California Department of Fish and Game, the California High Speed RailAuthority, cities along the corridor, and other agencies as appropriate.178