Here’s the latest update as provided by the City of Burlingame.  If you have concerns about this project or if you just want to stay in the loop, get involved by attending community meetings in your area.

From attending  a few HSR (high speed rail) meetings, it’s very likely that some residents will be exposed to eminent domain either for right of way issues or for construction related access.  This along with the long term negative impacts of a HSR running through some of the most densely populated Peninsula/South Bay communities are of huge concern for residents.

On Monday, August 16, 2010 the City Council reviewed the High Speed Rail Authority, Supplemental Alternatives Analysis released on August 5, 2010. The updated report recommends two alternatives for further review in the City of Burlingame, an aerial structure and an open trench.

The deep tunnel, covered trench, and stacked alignment options have been eliminated from further studies. The reasons cited by the Rail Authority for eliminating these options are life safety concerns, constructability issues, increased right-of-way requirements, and excessive costs.

The Council is concerned that these alternatives have been eliminated prior to comprehensive evaluation of their advantages and disadvantages as well as the draft EIR. The City has held numerous meetings over the last 18 months to obtain public input regarding the project concerns and to obtain feedback regarding the preferred alternative for Burlingame.

Overwhelming majority of our residents and businesses indicated that a deep tunnel or a covered trench such as subway are the only acceptable options and an aerial structure is the most unacceptable option due to noise, vibration and visual impacts. As a result, the City has consistently requested the High Speed Rail Authority for deep tunnel or covered trench alternative through Burlingame and continuously strongly opposes an aerial structure which would create noise and vibration problems as well as divide our town.

In order to stop an aerial structure through our community, the City Council has sent a letter to the Federal Rail Administration opposing the funding for an aerial alternatives which has been requested High Speed Rail Authority in its funding application (see City’s letter).

It is important that our residents contact the State and Federal elected officials to raise concerns regarding the project impact and seek their support for a positive outcome for our community. Please see below the contact information for the State and Federal Representatives.

Thank you for your continued involvement and participation to oppose aerial alternative and to minimize project impacts in our community.

If you would like to view the Supplemental Alternatives Analysis Report and other related documents, go to:

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/library.asp?p=8243

For a copy of the High-Speed Rail InterCity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Federal Rail Administration funding application go to: http://cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/library.asp?p=14032

Please send comments regarding the High Speed Rail project to elected representatives shown below. They are elected to support the concerns of their constituents.

State Assemblyman Jerry Hill, 19th Assembly District, 1528 S. El Camino Real, Suite 302, San Mateo, CA 94402; Fax: 650-341-4676; Email: Marc.Hershman@asm.ca.gov (Field Representative in San Mateo)

State Senator Leland Yee, 8th District, 400 South El Camino Real, Suite 630, San Mateo, CA 94402; Email: Lieberman@sen.ca.gov (District Representative for Millbrae and South San Francisco)

State Senator Joe Simitian, 11th District, Member, Budget subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation; Member, Committee on Transportation and Housing, 160 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto, CA 94301 http://www.senatorsimitian.com/contact

State Senator Alan Lowenthal, 27th District, Member, Budget subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection and Transportation; Chair: Committee on Transportation and Housing; Email: Mark.Pulido@sen.ca.gov (District Director)

Congresswoman Jackie Speier, 12th Congressional District, 400 South El Camino Real, Suite 750, San Mateo, CA 94402; Email: Richard.Steffen@mail.house.gov (District Director)

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, 14th Congressional District, 698 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301; Fax: 650-323-3498 https://forms.house.gov/eshoo/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Capital Building, Sacramento, CA 95814; Fax: 916-558-3160 http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Attn: Hillary Pearson, Field Representative for San Mateo County, 1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; Fax: 202-224-0454 (reroutes to SF office) http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm

U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, Attn: Christine Epres, Field Representative, 1 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94010; Fax: 415-393,0710 http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

Cathy Baylock, Mayor, City of Burlingame, City Hall, 501 Primrose Road, Burlingame, CA 94010-3997; Email: cbaylock@burlingame.org