​CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL
​PALMDALE - BURBANK
CAL POLY POMONA
Civil Engineering Senior Project - 2016​
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Alternatives
Four alternatives were evaluated as part of this project. These alternatives are as follows:
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No-Build
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Minimum Environmental Impacts
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Maximum User Benefit
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Most Economically Viable
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Alternative I: No-Build
The No-Build Alternative looks to determine whether or not the current system can meet the future growth needs of 2040.
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There are currently only two major travelways connecting Palmdale and Burbank: SR-14 and the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line.
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SR-14 is a major east-west corridor that travels through Los Angeles County. It is used for international, interstate, interregional, and intraregional travel and shipping as well as a daily commuter route. Significant growth in housing, population, and employment are projected along the corridor. It is expected that, for design year 2040, SR-14 will reach a Level of Service F. Level of Service F is stop and go, low speed conditions with little or poor maneuverability. Speed and traffic flow may drop to zero and considerable delays can occur. Due to financial, environmental, right of way, and political constraints, it is very difficult for Caltrans to continue to add more lanes to the system (Caltrans TCR Route 14).
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The Metrolink Antelope Valley line is a commuter rail line that serves the Northern Los Angeles County Area. The line runs through Soledad Canyon and services the cities of Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and Burbank as well as the community of Acton. The Metrolink Antelope Valley line has reached its capacity and requires infrastructure improvements in order to accommodate future growth. Antelope Valley is a notable area of projected growth and is expected to require an additional 30 trains per day to service the growth (SCRRA Strategic Plan).
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The table below shows the projected daily ridership for SR-14 and the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line.
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The tables below show the projected cost of riding each system in 2016 USD, and the current travel time in hours.
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Alternative II: Minimum Environmental Impacts
Alternative II is a high-speed rail alignment designed with two goals in mind: to minimize the impact to the Angeles National Forest and to increase constructability by breaking up the tunnels into shorter, more manageable segments through the San Gabriel Mountains. This alignment avoids the interior of the Angeles National Forest. Alternative II begins at the underground station in Burbank and heads northwest towards Santa Clarita along the existing Metrolink corridor. Before reaching Santa Clarita, the alignment curves to the northeast and tunnels underneath the mountains for a short stretch, then follows Soledad Canyon Road east to the community of Acton. The alignment then curves north towards Palmdale into the longest tunnel segment. It then continues to the Palmdale HSR Station.
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Alternative III: Maximum User Benefit
Source: Google Earth
Alternative III focuses on minimizing the travel time between Palmdale and Burbank by constructing the shortest possible route. In order to accomplish this, this high-speed rail alignment includes extensive tunneling through the Verdugo and San Gabriel Mountains. The alignment begins underground at Burbank Station and heads north under the Verdugo Mountains and into the San Gabriel Mountains. After tunneling underneath the Angeles National Forest, the alignment curves northeast in order to avoid the community of Acton as well as SR-14. The alignment then curves to the north and daylights as it enters Palmdale.
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Alternative IV: Most Economically Viable
Alternative IV focuses on creating the most economically viable alternative by combining the goals of Alternatives II and III. This alternative aims to minimize the environmental impacts and the impacts to the Angeles National Forest while simultaneously minimizing the travel time. In order to accomplish this, the alignment begins underground at Burbank station and tunnels northwest for approximately 18 miles. The alignment daylights through Soledad Canyon for a short segment before tunneling through the northern stretch of the San Gabriel Mountains. The alignment daylights once again in Palmdale and travels in an aerial structure for approximately 3 miles before returning at-grade at the Palmdale station.
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