Palmdale Receives $1 Million Grant from Federal Government

Funds Will Advance Planning for the Palmdale High-Speed Rail Station

PALMDALE, CA - In a strong show of support, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced on January 10 that the City of Palmdale and California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) received a $1 million Reconnecting Communities grant. The funds, which the Authority helped apply for, will be used to study the construction of a pedestrian and bike underpass for a busy transit corridor in Palmdale.

The East Avenue Q Crossings and Complete Street Study will focus on enhancing multimodal access and safety for disadvantaged communities between Division Street and Sierra Highway. The project will explore redesigning East Avenue Q into a Complete Street, study the construction of a road underpass to eliminate the barrier created by the Union Pacific and Metrolink rail lines and assess a pedestrian overcrossing to connect the future Palmdale High-Speed Rail station with surrounding neighborhoods.

"This grant is a monumental step towards our goal of enhancing mobility and safety for our community," said Palmdale Mayor Richard J. Loa. "By investing in infrastructure that connects our neighborhoods to vital transportation options, we are not only opening doors for all residents to access essential services but also enriching the quality of life for everyone. Together, we are building a brighter, more connected future for our community."

The City of Palmdale, as the lead applicant, will contribute $125,000, while project partners High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency (HDC JPA) will provide $50,000 and the California High-Speed Rail Authority will contribute $75,000 in in-kind services.

"The funding we've received will not only improve transit accessibility in Palmdale but also foster economic growth in our region," said Palmdale Mayor Pro Tem Laura Bettencourt. "This project reflects our commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to daily needs such as jobs, education, healthcare, recreation and more."

The Palmdale Station will serve as a connection point for California high-speed rail, Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) and Brightline West, creating a seamless connection between California high-speed rail and Brightline's planned high-speed rail service to Las Vegas via Palmdale. Multiple agencies, including Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the High Desert Corridor JPA and Antelope Valley Transit Authority, are collaborating on the station.

The Authority, HDC JPA and Brightline West have been working closely together to develop the high-speed rail network in the U.S. Southwest region. Once fully built and interconnected, the three high-speed rail systems will allow Californians to travel from Northern California through the Central Valley to Southern California and Las Vegas. The three parties continue to collaborate on protocols and standards for interoperability between systems.

In California's Central Valley, there are 25 active construction sites, more than 60 miles of guideway completed and nearly five miles of bridges and other structures in place, making it possible to begin the track-laying construction process. In addition, 463 of 494 miles have been fully environmentally cleared for the high-speed rail project between the Bay Area and Los Angeles County. High-speed rail is a key part of Governor Newsom's Build More, Faster agenda, delivering infrastructure upgrades and creating jobs throughout the state.

For the latest on high-speed rail construction, visit: www.buildhsr.com.

Interviews in Spanish are available upon request. For more information, contact the Authority's media relations office at [email protected]. For recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and the latest renderings, visit https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8.

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.