Tag Archives: Public Transportation

High Speed Rail Information Meetings

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The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has scheduled two community information meetings in Redwood City, one each in October and November. These meetings will focus on the potential for a high speed rail station in Redwood City.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
7 – 9 pm
Veterans Memorial Senior Center
1455 Madison Avenue

~AND~

Wednesday, November 3, 2010
7 – 9 pm
City Hall
1017 Middlefield Road

These meetings comprise a two-part community engagement process concerning a possible high speed rail station, and the community is encouraged to attend both meetings.

During the first meeting (October 13) CHSRA representatives will provide the community with an overview of considerations, features, and potential impacts of a station option in Redwood City, and will provide ample opportunity for questions and answers.

The second meeting (November 3) will include a brief summary of the previous meeting, followed by break-out sessions to give participants an opportunity for more in-depth conversations around key issues related to the possibility of a high speed rail station in Redwood City. Those key issues will include the scope of questions and concerns raised at the first meeting.

The results of these meetings will provide Redwood City and the CHSRA with information and public input on the critical issues and concerns that the community may have about a station in Redwood City. The high speed rail project’s environmental review process will analyze all three of the CHSRA’s mid-peninsula station options (Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Mountain View) even though only one station (or perhaps none) will be implemented. The meetings will also provide Redwood City with information about the community’s desires in regards to a possible station, and whether the City should actively pursue locating a station here.

The CHSRA identified Redwood City as a potential station site early in the program’s descriptions. Redwood City did not request that it be considered for a station; rather the City’s central location on the peninsula and its proximity to downtown and multi-modal transit options made it a logical location for consideration of a station, according to the CHSRA.

Without adequate information as yet, neither the community nor the City Council of Redwood City have discussed or expressed a preference for a station in Redwood City – this would be the first information provided to the community by the Authority on what a station might encompass in Redwood City. More information on the City’s perspective on the High Speed Rail issues is on the City’s website at www.redwoodcity.org/HSR.html

A Vision of Transporation

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In early-August, the California High Speed Rail Authority released the Supplemental Alternative Analysis (SAA) on the alignment of high-speed rail through the peninsula. This report is a continuation of the process of refining the manner in which high-speed rail will travel through the peninsula.

The SAA report indicated that the preferred alignment through Redwood City is an aerial structure, four-tracks-wide. The arguments for this alignment include: CalTrain operations would be least impacted, reduced need to purchase additional properties, avoidance of creeks (Redwood Creek, Cordelleras Creek), and less cost.

I appreciate the fact that CHSRA has narrowed the list of potential alternatives that they are willing to review. Until recently, there were just too many moving parts to be able to commit resources to explore, examine, review, estimate and engineer.

However, now it is our turn. As a community, we need to develop a vision of what we want regional and state-wide transportation to look like in 2025/35. If San Mateo County and the peninsula cities could have resolved BART in the 1960’s, we would not be having a conversation about high-speed rail today. BART would ring the entire Bay Area. BART would have been far less expensive to build then, than it will be today, there would be greater frequency in trips, greater reliability, and high-speed rail would be stopping at a multi-modal station somewhere in the South Bay.

I think it is a safe to predict that the world in 2025 will be different than it is today. Our challenge is to create a vision and a plan for regional and state-wide transportation, and to define Redwood City’s role.

This Fall, there will be a series of meetings in Redwood City. Some of these meetings will be hosted by CHSRA and the Peninsula Rail Board and will discuss the potential of a high-speed rail station in Redwood City. Other meetings will be hosted by the City, and will work on developing a transportation vision for Redwood City. Our efforts will involve a detailed examination of the aerial alignment proposed by CHSRA, the impacts and consequences of being aerial, examine “Redwood City-centric” solutions to high-speed rail and discuss whether we should have a high-speed rail station in our downtown.

I hope to see you at these meetings!

— Jeff Gee, Redwood City Councilperson

High Speed Rail Meeting

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On Tuesday, May 11 at 7PM at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, the City of Redwood City hosts a meeting to discuss the future of High Speed Rail service in Redwood City.

This is the second meeting about rail service. The first meeting (on April 29th) presented updated information to the community on the project’s schedule and process. At this May 11th meeiting, City staff will facilitate discussions about the project, including how concerns might be addressed and what the community’s preferences are on the alternatives. The City will later provide HSR with its official “comment letter” outlining the City’s specific issues on the alternatives. Attendees’ comments, concerns and opinions on the alternatives will also be provided to the HSR.

How will High Speed Rail be built through Redwood City? Learn, ask questions, and offer comments and opinions at this latest community information meeting.

WHEN: May 11, 2010 @ 7PM

WHERE: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City