WHAT IS THIS HIGH DESERT CORRIDOR?

Lake Los Angeles , Ca.-The High Desert Corridor was first proposed in 2010 as a multimodal east–west transportation project connecting Palmdale in Los Angeles County with Apple Valley in San Bernardino County.

. Initial planning began in September 2010 when the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Metro, and other agencies initiated the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (DEIS/EIR) and Alternatives Analysis to address growing east–west transportation demand and improve regional connectivity Metro.

At that time, the project was envisioned primarily as a highway, but it was designed with the potential to accommodate future high-speed rail, a bikeway, and green energy infrastructure Metro. The first public meetings for the project were held in 2011, when it was still largely considered a road project.

Historical

lStep 1 in this adventure started right here in Lake Los Angeles. The first meeting was here in LLA. A community meeting was called at LLA School. 6-8 chairs were set up. I asked that more chairs be set up and they refused saying not that many people would come anyway.

What they did not know was the numerous calls I made, how I walked the streets on the south end of LLA with Theresa Horvath in her car following me as I dropped off 100+ fliers I created with my own $ and time ... this was prior to social media.

Well, 75 people showed up and those 75 people had something to say, much to the chagrin of the host. I vividly recall Mary Hanna speaking passionately about wildlife and how it would be negatively impacted. We also spoke of lighting and wildlife crossings, etc. Others questioned about houses that backyard onto Palmdale Boulevard that would be torn down. We came as a group prepared to learn, yes, but more to challenge.

The earliest date I could find in my computer was July 15, 2013. My other computer had been destroyed by a hacker, so a more reliable start date was in 2010.

The High Desert Corridor (HDC) is a multipurpose transportation route connecting Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County and Victor Valley in San Bernardino County. The project includes a 54-mile high-speed rail link connecting two fast-growing regions, with connections to regional and statewide rail systems that provide access to housing, jobs, entertainment, and cultural opportunities across Southern California while reducing freeway congestion.

The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency (HDC JPA) includes Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro), and the cities of Adelanto, Lancaster, Palmdale and Victorville. The HDC JPA is currently advancing early design of a high-speed rail link between Palmdale and Victor Valley, which would connect to existing Metrolink service and future California High-Speed Rail service in Palmdale, and Brightline West service in Victor Valley, providing access to Las Vegas, San Francisco, and the larger Southern California region.

In 2016, Caltrans prepared an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) evaluating the multipurpose transportation corridor, which included the high-speed rail element. The current activities are focused on completing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) due diligence and obtaining a Record of Decision (ROD) in late Winter 2026/2027 for the high-speed rail project. Following this, the project will advance into final design and engineering. In addition, the HDC JPA will prepare the Intercity Rail Service Development Plan and Funding Plan (SDP) to commence in Summer 2026. The HDC JPA fiscal year 2026-2027 budget is fully funded to continue project development of the HDC High-Speed Rail Project.

Join Us

Join us at an upcoming community meeting to learn more about the project. We’ll cover the project overview and background, current status and next steps, and provide opportunities to ask questions and stay informed. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Victorville Wednesday, June 3, 2026 | 6-8pm

Victorville City Hall

14343 Civic Dr, Victorville, CA 92392

Palmdale

Monday, June 8, 2026 | 6-8pm

Palmdale Playhouse

38334 10th St. East, Palmdale, CA 93550

Virtual

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | 6-8pm

Register Here: bit.ly/HDCJPA_CommunityMeeting

Meeting ID: 878 0771 3301

Join via audio: (213) 338-8477

Spanish Call In: +1 (224) 501-3412 | Access Code: 153 796 453