California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

AUBURN-OAKLAND REGIONAL RAIL SERVICESix agencies have partnered to develop a service concept plan for a newregional commuter rail service in the urban corridor extending from Auburn toOakland that would be integrated with the Capitol Corridor.Chapter X–Potential New ServicesPROPOSED INTERCITY RAIL ROUTESThe Department proposes three routes for service in this ten-year plan.• San Francisco to San Luis Obispo (and Los Angeles) via Coast Route.One round-trip train between San Francisco and San Luis Obispo, starting in2010-11, with a second train in 2013-14.• Sacramento to Reno. One Capitol Corridor round-trip from Sacramento toReno/Sparks in 2014-15, and a second round-trip in 2016-17.• Sacramento to Redding. One round-trip between Sacramento andRedding in 2015-16.This section also discusses potential intercity rail service from Los Angeles toIndio (Coachella Valley), San Francisco to Monterey, and Los Angeles toLas Vegas.HIGH-SPEED RAILCalifornia High-Speed Rail AuthorityIn 1996, the California High-Speed Rail Act established the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) to direct the development and implementationof intercity high-speed rail service. In 2000, the CHSRA completed its BusinessPlan, “Building a High-Speed Train System for California”. The CHSRA certifiedthe Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Study (FEIR/EIS)on November 2, 2005. The FEIR/EIS identifies a high-speed train system as thepreferred system alternative to meet California’s future intercity travel demand.Service to urban centers would be on shared tracks with other passenger railservices at moderate speeds. Stations would be in close proximity to mostmajor airports, and there would be station connections with major transit hubsin metropolitan areas. The FEIR/EIS identifies preferred alignments.The 2006-07 enacted State budget provided $14.3 million "to begin projectimplementation". The funding supported the preparation of a projectfinancial plan, project management activities, identification of critical rightsof-wayacquisitions and the initiation of detailed project design and relatedenvironmental studies. However, bond funding for the project must still beauthorized by voters.DesertXpressDesertXpress is a proposed completely new high-speed, steel wheel onrail double track interstate passenger rail line running 190 miles betweenVictorville, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. It would run primarily at-grade;but be completely grade separated from all streets and highways, and wouldlargely follow the I-15 freeway alignment. The estimated capital cost isExecutive Summary California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18 13