Oct 8, 2009 4:52 pm US/Pacific
Judge Lets Calif. High-Speed Rail Planning Proceed
SACRAMENTO (CBS 5 / AP) ―
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California High-Speed Rail.
A Sacramento County judge decided Thursday to let planning continue for a high-speed rail route between the Bay Area and the Central Valley through the Pacheco Pass.
The cities of Atherton and Menlo Park sought to stop planning while they challenge the California's high-speed rail authority's decision. They prefer a northern route through the Altamont Pass in part because it would have less effect on cities south of San Francisco.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny issued a tentative ruling Thursday denying the stay. He said there is no reason to stop planning because the authority's studies won't harm the environment. The order will become final unless Kenny is persuaded otherwise during a hearing Friday.
"The actions for which a stay is being requested are studies with no potential for adverse change or alteration to the physical environment," Kenny wrote.
The underlying lawsuit challenging the route will continue.
California voters approved a $9.9 billion bond measure in November to help pay for a high-speed rail line between San Francisco and the Los Angeles area. Last Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger requested $4.7 billion in federal stimulus money to help build the 800-mile bullet train system.
High-speed rail authority spokesman Jeffrey Barker said there was no reason to stop planning.
"We don't believe that anyone is interested in jeopardizing billions of dollars in economic stimulus for California, delaying the creation of tens of thousands of jobs, and forcing taxpayers to shoulder higher costs to build the system," Barker said in a statement.
The proposed route would one day link the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego with trains running at speeds of up to 220 mph.
The bond measure required the San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim segment be built first, with a target completion by 2020.
Only then would the state start links to San Diego and Sacramento, depending on funding. But some communities between San Francisco and San Jose are upset that elevated trains could split their communities and require the destruction of homes and businesses.
Menlo Park public works director Kent Steffens said he hadn't seen the ruling and couldn't comment.
Palo Alto filed documents supporting the other cities' challenge, but expects rail authority officials will follow environmental planning laws, said deputy city manager Steve Emslie.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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