High Speed Rail
High Speed Rail is an important issue Burlingame currently is facing. To view the Draft Scoping Report, please visit www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov
The City of Burlingame and I have significant concerns regarding the California High Speed Rail project and its impacts to our community. As your Mayor, I believe it is essential that this project does not create a visual and/or physical barrier to this community.
Placing High Speed Rail (HSR) underground could potentially alleviate many of these problems. Some other issues to consider when discussing HSR are our historic resources such as the Burlingame and Broadway train stations, preserving our downtown business districts and safety issues; especially around Burlingame High School.
Property values, land acquisition, community character, noise and vibration, safety and quality of life issues are of the utmost importance to address.
Public outreach plays an important factor throughout this process. I encourage you to voice your concerns to the Council. The Council has been involved in a variety of ways in addressing HSR issues. The following is a timeline of activities that the Council and Burlingame staff have been involved with:
- November 2008: California voters approved project
- January 22, 2009: City of Burlingame members and staff attended High Speed Rail meeting regarding scoping issues
- February 17, 2009: City Council invited High Speed Authority to present the project scoping and raised community concerns
- Feb-April 2009: Three meetings were held between myself and Councilmembers and staff with our counterparts in San Mateo and Millbrae including High Speed Rail staff to discuss concerns and to advocate for public input and a public engagement process in addition to coordinating issues with our bordering cities
- April 3, 2009: As Mayor, I sent a letter to High Speed Rail Authority with the City’s concerns and revised comments. Please see link: http://www.burlingame.org/Index.aspx?page=1334
- May 4, 2009: The City Council invited High Speed Rail Authority to provide a project update and obtain community input
- June 2, 2009: Burlingame City Staff met with High Speed Rail to advocate the city’s concerns and to comment on the Public Outreach Program by the Authority.
- June 15, 2009: The City Council formally joined the Peninsula Cities Consortium and appointed two Councilmembers and alternates to keep apprised of HSR issues and advocated City’s concerns. The five cities that have become involved are: Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park
- June 23, 2009: City Staff attended the first High Speed Rail Technical Working Group meeting in Oakland
- June-present: A Burlingame City Councilmember continues to attend the Peninsula City Consortium on a regular basis
- At the July City Council Meeting, as Mayor, I asked for a town hall meeting to be scheduled at City Hall with Assemblyman Jerry Hill and High Speed Rail Representatives. This is scheduled for September 26, 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00.
There are continual web site updates on this issue on the Burlingame City Website: http://www.burlingame.org/Index.aspx?page=1334
Please feel free to follow up with questions and comments.
