Transit Advocates: High-Speed Rail in Fullerton — Community Meeting

Went to this.

-The open house poster boards they had up still only showed the dedicated alternative. However, the literature they passed out updates people on the shared track vs. dedicated situation and illustrates the comparison between the two.

For shared track, they are showing people two HSR/Amtrak/Metrolink tracks and three freight tracks with a crash wall between them (expanded shared track alternative from the alternatives analysis). They are showing that the existing ROW is 100 feet and that a shared track alternative would require a little more ROW acquisition, but not as much as the dedicated alternative.

-They explained why they need a trench at Fullerton airport.

-They showed the Fullerton HSR station study area. It would be west of the current station across the street. A lot of eminent domain here.

-One woman was angry because the train would use dirty electricity or something.

-One woman was angry because the route would result in her garage being taken away. She said that she and her neighbors can’t live without their garages.

-One man was angry because several businesses and homes would lose street access.

-The usual concerns over budgets and finance.

-An OCTA representative was there and explained the OCTA’s stance against the dedicated alternative and the letter they jointly sent to the CHSRA asking for the shared alternative to be studied.

-I asked some representatives for specifics on the shared track alternative, like how 91 line trains and the Southwest Chief would interface with the shared LOSSAN Corridor and how they tend to integrate HSR onto the corridor but they really didn’t have any answers. The standard reply was that it’s too early or that it’s being studied. I also asked what the impact of the draft EIR being delayed is and they said it really shouldn’t impact anything.

Nothing too exciting.