One thing is sure: bullet trains are coming to California (but
there is no funding), they will pass through South Valley (or maybe
steer clear) and make a stop in Gilroy (although city officials are
not sure what to do).
By Perry Shirley Staff Writer
Gilroy – One thing is sure: bullet trains are coming to California (but there is no funding), they will pass through South Valley (or maybe steer clear) and make a stop in Gilroy (although city officials are not sure what to do).
Fact is, it’s going to take time and patience to make this vision a reality.
The Gilroy City Council met with members California High-Speed Rail Authority last month to study the feasibility of a train line that could take passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in two and a half hours, reaching speed of 220 miles per hour.
On Aug 29, the City Council chambers will be open for the public to discuss the project’s environmental impact with authority officials and voice concerns about safety, noise and construction.
Until then, the high speed rail is nothing but a “rough, skeletal concept” at this point, stressed William Faus, the city’s planning division manager.
“It’s not the first step, it’s more of a pre-step,” Faus said. “We’re going to venture out and we’re thinking what might we wear out of the house (because) this is a pie-in-the-sky idea.”
The CHSRA has drawn up plans to have the line go from Los Angeles to Fresno, loosely running alongside Interstate 5. From there, it’s a debate as to whether the railway will thread through the Pacheco Pass – and stop at Gilroy on its way to San Jose and San Francisco – or continue north through the Atamont Pass near Oakland – and skip South Valley altogether.
While cities that sit alongside the proposed train corridor have voiced their approval in letters to the rail commission, the Gilroy’s council’s letter was more hesitant, council member Russ Valiquette said.
The city has repeatedly said it wants to be considered as one of the stops but leaders add that they want to have a heavy hand in the specific plans.
“We told them ‘before we give the thumbs up approval, we want to see what you guys have come up with,’ ” Valiquette said.
Then there is the potential commercial windfall to consider, councilman Craig Gartman said. One choice that will have to be made is whether to have the line run through downtown Gilroy or just east of town near the outlets and the proposed Westfield Mall. Choosing the later would make the most sense, Gartman said, because it would get people closer to the shops while staying “a real short jump” from downtown.
“It’s just another way for people to get here and make this a destination of their trips,” he said.
But the timeline of the various large-scale projects could get in the way of that plan, Valiquette said. Whereas the Westfield project is slated to be completed within the next five years, it may be 15 years before the rail project see the light of day, he said.
“At this point, I don’t see a connection between Westfield and the bullet train,” Valiquette said.
In the meantime, the city’s enthusiasm is going to be guarded because of all the uncertainty and feasibility, said Don Dey, a Gilroy transportation engineer involved in the discussions.
“It’s a mixed response. [The council members] are excited, yes, but like I said until we know more specific information about the impacts and the costs it’s hard to assess whether this is a great thing for the city or not a great thing,” Dey said.
This year, taxpayers are $14.3 million to “begin project implementation” according to the 2006-07 state budget. More substantial funding won’t come until 2008 when voters will be asked to vote on a $10 billion bond measure that was originally put on the November 2006 ballot but then delayed.
