TEHACHAPI, Calif. (KERO) — The City of Tehachapi expressed concerns Monday over the High-Speed Rail Authority project and now, the authority says they are working with the city to mitigate those concerns.
Some of the concerns city officials presented Monday include the structure running through city limits without making any stops. The rail authority said they are taking these concerns to heart.
"We are committed to working to develop and deliver the program through effective engagements with local communities, a process that involves nourishing long-term relationships with residents, stakeholders, and policymakers," HSR officials said in a statement.
According to rail authority officials, these concerns voiced by the City of Tehachapi were submitted in writing last spring in response to the Authority’s Draft Bakersfield to Palmdale Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report released in February 2020.
While the city said these concerns remain, the rail authority said is in the process of evaluating and responding to the city’s comments.
“The Authority is working with the City of Tehachapi on mitigation measures as part of the environmental process," said Southern California Regional Director LaDonna DiCamillo. "We are reviewing their concerns and are hopeful we can come to a solution that works for both the community and the project.”
The HSR project has been a concern in local communities in recent years as more and more of the project develops. The approximately 80-mile corridor travels through or near the cities of Edison, Tehachapi, Rosamond, Lancaster and Palmdale with proposed stations in Bakersfield and at the Palmdale Transportation Center.
