HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-02-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - LAX GROUND ACCESS PROJ (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval: O
Item to be presented by: Mark L. Yam rone
DATE: February 12, 2002
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE NEXT PHASE OF
IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT (LAX) TO PALMDALE AIRPORT GROUND ACCESS
PROJECT
DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt a resolution supporting the Southern California Association of
Government's (SLAG) efforts to implement the next phase of the Los Angeles International
Airport (LAX) to Palmdale Airport High -Speed Ground Access Study, and authorize the
Mayor to transmit letters conveying the City's support of SCAG's efforts. This study is one
of three projects currently under way to address statewide high-speed, interregional, and
intraregional rail in California.
BACKGROUND
SCAG is estimating that the population of Southern California will increase by six million
people (a 40 percent increase) by 2025. This population increase will place additional trips
on the region's transportation systems, and if not planned and accommodated for, could
tremendously increase travel times. To meet our region's growth and mobility needs, and
to achieve air quality goals, SCAG has developed the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP),
a blueprint for the future of a transportation system for the six -county Southern California
region (comprising Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial
Counties). A significant component of the RTP is to provide additional capacity to handle
regional airport demand, both directly to and between airports.
Two years ago, SCAG initiated the LAX to Palmdale Airport High -Speed Ground Access
Study to analyze the feasibility of providing high-speed transportation service within
western and northern Los Angeles County. The line would run between LAX and the
Palmdale Regional Airport. The study has also analyzed potential route alignments with
possible connections to Union Station, Burbank Airport, and Van Nuys Airport (flyaway).
All of the route alignments studied include station locations in the Santa Clarita Valley.
This study is one of three projects currently under way to address statewide high-speed,
interregional and intraregional rail in California. The California Maglev Deployment
project studied the feasibility of using magnetic levitation technology along routes between
LAX and March Inland Port (the former March Air Force Base) via Ontario International
Ado z!ed:
Agenda Item:
LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO
PALMDALE AIRPORT GROUND ACCESS PROJECT
February 12, 2002 — Page 2
Airport. The California High -Speed Rail Authority is studying the implementation of a
statewide high-speed rail system running from Sacramento/San Francisco in the north to
San Diego in the south. At their meeting on January 8, 2002, the City Council adopted a
resolution supporting the Antelope Valley route alignment for the California High -Speed
Rail project and requested that the Authority continue to include a Santa Clarita station in
their future environmental studies.
Like the Antelope Valley alignment of the State High -Speed Rail project, the high-speed
rail line connecting LAX to Palmdale Airport studied by SCAG would provide Santa Clarita
residents with improved access to the future regional airport in Palmdale, and could
provide an alternative to those who commute to the Santa Clarita Valley from the
Antelope Valley.
The LAX to Palmdale Airport High -Speed Ground Access Study analyzed the performance
of several transit technologies along the route, including buses operating on High -
Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, commuter rail (Metrolink), high-speed rail (steel wheels
on steel rails), and high-speed magnetic levitation (Maglev). The study determined that the
Maglev technology was the fastest, most energy-efficient, and least costly transit
technology to operate. Because Maglev trains are not as sensitive to grades, the amount of
tunneling required climbing the Newhall grade and passing though the City is minimized.
This provides maximum flexibility in siting potential station locations along the route as it
passes through the Santa Clarita Valley. The Maglev technology would operate in its own
dedicated tracks above the existing freeways and railroad rights-of-way.
Over the next year, SCAG will be seeking approximately $20 million from the State and
federal government to complete the environmental review of the project, and has requested
cities who would be served by the line to demonstrate their support for that effort. The
proposed resolution would demonstrate the City's support for implementing the next phase
of the project and would authorize the Mayor to transmit letters expressing the City's
support for further evaluation of the project.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact from adopting the proposed resolution.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Maps — Proposed LAX to Palmdale Airport Maglev Route Alignments
MLY:dh
council\ scag_maglev_reso.doc