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.
Community Input
The California High Speed Rail Authority is hosting a Community Open House on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 6:30 PM at the Buena Vista Library Community Room. The purpose of the open house is to provide additional information about alignment alternatives and station options being considered for study in the environmental review process for the Los Angeles to Palmdale section of the project. Representatives from the Authority will be in attendance to answer questions and receive comments from the public. In addition, the City of Burbank is accepting ongoing comments or questions about the project. Comments may be submitted online.
Also, to be notified via email of project updates and future meeting notices, make sure to register with the City's E-Notify feature and select "Planning and Transportation" Events.
Latest Project Developments
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