Web Comments U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration Page 26-1 Public Comments on the Bay Area to Central Valley HST Final Program EIR/EIS Received Via the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Website Comment Number Name / Organization / Occupation / City, State Comment Response W001-1 Ms. Eileen Wasser / Simi Valley, CA Wonderful. I wish Ventura County could be included in this plan, or is there a way for high-speed connection to include Simi Valley/Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara. Comment acknowledged. Please refer to the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority’s) and the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) certified statewide program environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (November 2005). The proposed high-speed train (HST) system would not directly serve the areas listed but would be connected via conventional intercity and Metrolink services at multi-modal stations like Los Angeles Union Station. Extensions of the HST system could be a possibility in the future. W002-1 Mr. Kpish Goyal / Attorney / Atherton, CA I believe the best route to choose is the Altamont Pass. The Pacheco Pass route goes through areas that are sparsely populated, whereas the Altamont route traverses an area east of the Bay Area that is much more populated, and that has a rapidly increasing population. Furthermore, the Altamont route makes the future connection to Sacramento much shorter, less costly, and thus more feasible in the future. The Altamont also decreases the time from Sacramento to San Francisco and San Jose, which will be a heavily traversed corridor in Northern California. The Pacheco route just isn't appropriate given our population trends, and our existing areas of population. I thus strongly urge the California High Speed Rail Authority to choose the Altamont route. Comment acknowledged. Please see Standard Response 3 and Chapter 8 regarding the identification of Pacheco Pass (San Francisco and San Jose via the Peninsula) as the Preferred Alternative. W003-1 Mrs. Paula Overholtzer / Merced Mariposa Asthma Coalition / Respiratory Therapist / CA This is one of the most important projects for air quality for the future. No other project should take the money needed for this. Comment acknowledged. Please see Standard Response 3 and Chapter 8 regarding the identification of Pacheco Pass (San Francisco and San Jose via the Peninsula) as the Preferred Alternative. W004-1 Mr. Charles Shaheen / Fresno, CA Do not pass high speed train through the natural habitat wetlands area, this will disrupt the migratory bird populations of the area! Comment acknowledged. Please see Standard Response 3 and Chapter 8 regarding the identification of Pacheco Pass (San Francisco and San Jose via the Peninsula) as the Preferred Alternative. Please also see Responses to Comment Letter L029.
