High-speed rail authority approves final environmental documents for SJ-SF section
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KION-TV)- The California high-speed rail governing board approved the final environmental documents for the San Jose-to-San Francisco section on Thursday.
The Board of Directors approved the environmental impact report and statement for the 50-mile stretch, which will use Caltrain's current right-of-way.
High-speed rail officials have already approved the environmental clearance documents for 420 miles of the project's 500-mile span between San Francisco and Anaheim.
"If nothing else, what it does is it really prepares and moves this entire project forward towards construction, with of course a very important component of generating capital that's necessary to get the job done," board Chair Tom Richards told KTVU. "But for the state of California, it really provides the basis for a project that's ready to do just that."
The San Jose-to-San Francisco section of the project will have three stops. One each at the San Jose Diridon Station, the Millbrae transit center, and the Fourth and King Street Caltrain station. That section will eventually be extended to end at the Salesforce Transit Center.
The funding source for the Merced to San Francisco section has yet to be decided. Still, the environmental clearance will enable final design work and construction to begin once funding is found.
"We look forward to working with all of our regional partners and stakeholders in developing modern, sustainable transportation infrastructure, completing our work in the Central Valley, and connecting to the Bay Area as soon as possible," Richards said.
