Here is a follow up story about last weeks informational meetings for the Antelope Valley to Victorville E-220 freeway. The story also briefly mentions that the median could also hold HSR tracks, but then also mentions that the right of way could also handle inner-city Metrolink trains.
Link to this detailed article because it also gives a bit of insight as to where the freeway might start in Palmdale and how many lanes of traffic, and talk of solar farms along the route.
http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/transportation/32868-proposed-highway-in-the-high-desert-could-include-high-speed-rail.html
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on April 22, 2011 11:17 AM
At the public hearings held in High Desert communities, Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) introduced the details of the High Desert Corridor that will link California State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) to Interstate 15, north of the Cajon Pass.
The east to west route will be begin as four lanes in Palmdale's existing Avenue P-8 corridor from State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) to 100th Street for approximately 10 miles, according to the presentation. The 138 Freeway will be reconstructed as a new 4-lane freeway to 50th street, and possibly add a transition to 100th Street in Palmdale.[...]
While the proposed highway considers possible links to high speed rail, it is not the only option. says Laurie Hunter of the High Desert Corridor-Joint Powers Authority, "The right of way can accommodate a Metrolink."[...]
"A 50-mile first phase of the new route will be a public and private partnership," says Hunter, which is budgeted for $3 billion. Construction could begin in 2016 and be completed in 2020. The proposal states an anticipated 14,000 jobs will be provided during the routes construction and up to 42,000 sustainable jobs will be created afterward.
"It is also planned to be a utility corridor," says Hunter, stating the route will be equipped with solar and sun panels, forming a renewable energy corridor that can help power any form of rail system that accompanies vehicular traffic.
"It is not just about building a highway," says Hunter. "It's a laboratory for the nation."
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Its great to see that this freeway is finally getting some movement forward as right now there are only (2) "major" West to East Routes... Highway 58 (parts are 2 lane road) from Mojave to the outlet malls of Barstow or "Blood Highway" 138 from Palmdale to downtown Victorville.[...]
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