The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) in the US has entered into an agreement with the City of Burbank to examine a proposed high-speed rail station that would be part of a larger transportation hub for the area.
The new hub would incorporate the proposed high-speed rail station, the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC), Amtrak and Metrolink stations, bus services, ride share services and other transportation adjacent to Burbank Bob Hope Airport.
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Both parties will now examine how to improve multimodal connections between the station, the San Fernando Valley and the region.
As part of the station-area funding agreement, Burbank will receive $800,000 to explore options and seek public input for station-area design and development.
The money will support planning efforts focused on both the integration of the high-speed rail station into the region, as well as the analysis of opportunities to promote economic development and sustainable community strategies.
CHSRA Southern California regional director Michelle Boehm said: "The San Fernando Valley is long overdue for a major infrastructure investment of this magnitude.
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By GlobalData"This agreement creates a unique regional planning opportunity that will help facilitate development of a world class transportation hub, increase the quality and types of transportation choices available to residents and visitors to the San Fernando Valley, and makes significant progress in bringing high-speed rail to the region."
The funding agreement helps in reducing traffic, greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the economy by providing more transportation options and better connections.
CHSRA planning and integration director Melissa DuMond said: "We’re thrilled to work with the City of Burbank, and other regional partners, to develop a multimodal transportation hub and high-speed rail station that will help significantly cut down the travel time between the San Fernando Valley and the broader Los Angeles County region and open up increased economic opportunities for residents and more travel choices for visitors. At the end of the day, it’s all about access."
The station-area funds are a combination of federal and state funds to help partner cities conduct planning efforts and develop conceptual designs to provide connections between high-speed rail station areas and the surrounding communities.
Other partner cities, including Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, Gilroy and Palmdale have also entered into similar agreements with CHSRA.
The California High Speed Rail Project is a 220mph conventional train system that links San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, along with other intermediate cities.
The proposed route would pass through Burbank and would include a stop near Burbank Bob Hope Airport.
Earlier this month, CHSRA had recommending a $348m bid to design and build a 22-mile segment of high-speed railway through the Central Valley in the state.
California Rail Builders was identified as the apparent best value proposer for the design-build services contract for Construction Package 4.
According to CHSRA, the bid is more than $150m less than the client’s upper estimate for the work, which was between $400m to $500m.
