HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 96-68� , � �
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RESOLUTION NO. 96-68
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT,
CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF AN INLAND EMPIRE ROUTING OF
HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
AND SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS, the California lntercity High Speed Rail Commission is completing its study
of the feasibility of establishing a high speed rail line between Los angeles and the Bay Area;
and,
WHEREAS, the California lntercity High Speed Rail Commission has concluded that an
extension from Los Angeles to San Diego would significantly increase total State ridership and
would generate four million passengers yeazly just on the segment betw•een Los Angeles and San
Diego; and,
WHER�AS, the California lntercity High Speed Rail Commission has selecteci two
alternate routes between Los Angeles and San Diego: one parallel to Interstate 5 and one parallel
to Interstates 10 and 15J21 S; and,
WHEREAS, the I-5 coastal corridor currently has numerous Amtrak and commuter trains
in its limited right-of-way and most communities along that corridor have previously expressed
opposition to high speed rail; and,
WHEREAS, an unconstrained high speed rail route via the Inland Empire would have
shorter travel times between San Diego and Los angeles compared to a reduced-speed alternative
using the environmental sensitive coastal corridor and would, thus, likely generate greater
ridership and revenue; and,
WHEREAS, an Inland Empire routing for the high speed rail system would establish new
economic links to northern San Diego county cities such as Escondido; and,
W�iEREAS, the I-1 S/21 S corridor currently provides no rail service options between the
Inland Empire and San Diego while the coastal corridor already provides a full range of
commuter and intercity services; and,
WHEREAS, the Inland Empire is a major hob of an expanding regional economy and
both to recognize the need for and support the development of transportation improvements to
strengthen the region's economy; and,
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Commerce forecasts that the two counties
of Riverside and San Bernazdino will have the lazgest population growth of any of the nation's
metropolitan areas over the next ten years creating over 415,000 new jobs and the City of Palm
Desert estimates that the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino will have a population of
approximately 4.2 million by the year 200�; and,
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WHEREAS, the Inland Empire high speed rail alignment between San Diego and Los
Angeles could connect with other proposed high speed rail projects between Los Angeles and Las
Vegas; and,
WHEREAS, the Inland Empire transportation agencies own many miles of rail rights-of-
way which could be used for portions of an alignment between San Diego, including twenty
miles immediately parallel to I-215 and additional rights-of-way in the Inland Empire could be
purchased at values less than along a coastal route; and,
WHEREAS, there is little or no air service between the Inland �mpire and either San
Diego or Los Angeles, thus, minimizing competition between air and rail modes; and,
WHEREAS, public support for rail development is strong within the Inland Empire;
NOW, THEREFORE BE TT RESOLVED, that the City of Palm Desert supports the
development and construction of a high speed rail link between Los Angeles and San Diego
serving the Inland Empire, as part of an overall high speed rail system between San Diego and
San Francisco.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert,
this 24th day of October. 1996, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: BENSON, CRITES, KELLY, SPIEGEL, SNYDER
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
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ATTEST:
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� SHEILA R. I�,LIGAN
DIRECTOR OF COMMi7NYfY AFFAIRS/CITY CLERK