The California High Speed Rail Project is a high-speed (up to 220 mph) conventional train system connecting San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, along with other intermediate cities. The route would pass through the City of Burbank and would include a stop near Downtown Burbank. 
City of Burbank staff have been working with the California High Speed Rail Authority to ensure all potential impacts within the City of Burbank are addressed as part of the project's environmental review. While staff has been monitoring the Authority’s ongoing progress as it develops the proposed project, at this time there has been no formal recommendation or policy direction made by staff or the Burbank City Council in favor or opposition of the Califiornia High Speed Rail Project.
For more information please visit the California High Speed Rail Authority website. Also, to be notified via email of project updates and future City-sponsored meeting notices, make sure to register with the City's E-Notify feature and select "Planning and Transportation" Events.
Latest Project Developments
At the May 4, 2011 Operations Committee Meeting and the May 5, 2011 Regular Board Meeting, the California High Speed Rail Authority will consider a staff recommendation to reconsider the I-5 / Grapevine alignment for inclusion in the final High Speed Rail Project Environmental Impact Report along with the currently-proposed alignment via the State Route 14 and 58 corridors through Palmdale. This alignment was dropped in earlier studies, but could be reconsidered if the Board approves its inclusion for further study. Constructing the High Speed Rail project along Interstate 5 would reduce travel times on the system and would allow for a station to be located in Santa Clarita instead of Palmdale. Unexpectedly higher costs to construct the State Route 14/58 alignment through Palmdale has led the High Speed Rail Authority staff to reconsider a direct alignment via Interstate 5. More information can be found on the California High Speed Rail website. A direct link to the staff report can be found here.
At the March 2, 2011 California High Speed Rail Authority Board meeting, the Board voted to carry forward three station alternatives for further study as part of an Environmental Impact Report for the Los Angeles - Palmdale segment. One of the station alternatives is the Burbank / Buena Vista station located along San Fernando Boulevard between Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Way in the City of Burbank. The Authority Board presentation can be found on the California High Speed Rail website here. In addition, the full Supplemental Alternatives Analysis Report can be found on the Palmdale to Los Angeles segment online document library here.
At the July 8, 2010 California High Speed Rail Authority Board Meeting, Authority staff released the Draft Alternatives Analysis Report for the Los Angeles to Palmdale section of the project, including the segment that would pass through the City of Burbank. This report outlines the aligments and four station options that may be considered in the project's environmenta review. The report includes a recommendation to study a station in Burbank near the Bob Hope Airport, as well as three additional locations in the San Fernando Valley. In addition, the Authority Board directed the High Speed Rail planners to study a fifth station location in Downtown Burbank. Authority staff will be reviewing this additional Burbank alternative in a revised report to be released in Fall 2010. Ultimately some or all of these five station alternatives will be carried forward to the environmental impact report being prepared for the project.
The complete Draft Alternatives Analysis Report can be accessed on the California High Speed Rail Authority website via the following link:
Los Angeles to Palmdale Draft Alternatives Analysis Report
As part of this ongoing analysis, the City of Burbank has prepared a conceptual station planning document that reviews planning opportunities and constraints of two station options near the Bob Hope Airport. This planning document can be accessed via the following link:
High Speed Rail Opportunities in Burbank
Previous Actions
On June 24, 2010, the City of Burbank hosted a second community meeting to provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the ongoing planning efforts by the California High Speed Rail Authority to construct a high speed train system that would pass through the City of Burbank. The Authority's planning team is refining the station location alternatives for a single station serving the San Fernando Valley. One of the alternatives being considered is a station located in Burbank near the Bob Hope Airport.
On February 24, 2010, the Burbank City Council and the California High Speed Rail Authority Project Team hosted a community meeting which, in concert with input from the Burbank City Council and other stakeholders, resulted in the High Speed Rail project team revising the proposed alternative locations for a High Speed Rail station.
On February 2, 2010 the California High Speed Rail Authority met with the Burbank City Council and staff for a Study Session. The presentation provided by the High Speed Rail Authority is provided below.
California High Speed Rail Authority Presentation
In 2007 the California High Speed Rail Authority released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Los Angeles to Palmdale project-level environmental analysis. City staff drafted a comment letter to the NOP, which is provided below.
Comment Letter on Los Angeles to Palmdale Project-Level NOP
In 2004 the California High Speed Rail Authority released its program-level environmental document (EIR/EIS), which was a broad preliminary analysis of the entire High Speed Rail System. At that time, staff presented this information to the Burbank City Council for review and comment. The staff report and comment letter are provided below.
City Council Staff Report on Program-Level EIR/EIS
Comment Letter on Program-Level EIR/EIS
For more information please visit the California High Speed Rail Authority website
