# MTA Urges Antelope Valley Route



## leemell (Aug 7, 2011)

The SoCal MTA board is urging the CAHSR to use the Antelope Valley route instead of the I5.


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## Anderson (Aug 7, 2011)

I'll confess that I haven't followed CAHSR as closely as I might have, but what are the main differences between the routes/why would one be better than the other?


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## leemell (Aug 7, 2011)

Anderson said:


> I'll confess that I haven't followed CAHSR as closely as I might have, but what are the main differences between the routes/why would one be better than the other?


The original route studied was along the I5 and across the Tehachapi mountians at about 4100 feet. It proved quite expensive, so they studied and chose a route up CA14 through Palmdale and back to Bakersfield. Much lower elevation, cheaper to build, but about 25 minutes more time to travel, it also made a connector to the DesertXpress to Las Vegas possible.


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## jis (Aug 7, 2011)

leemell said:


> Anderson said:
> 
> 
> > I'll confess that I haven't followed CAHSR as closely as I might have, but what are the main differences between the routes/why would one be better than the other?
> ...


Isn't the Palmdale routing basically up CA14 and then across to Bakersfield along the CA58 alignment, crossing the range at roughly around Tehachapi loop? To connect DeserteXpress it will have to be extended from Victorville to Palmdale roughly along CA 18.

If done right this routing would provide an opportunity to MetroLink to provide much better service on its Antelope Valley Line to Lancaster. So of course they like it.


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## leemell (Aug 7, 2011)

jis said:


> leemell said:
> 
> 
> > Anderson said:
> ...


There is a new freeway being planned for CA18 and it includes the necessary ROW for the proposed tracks for DesertXpress.


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