(The Associated Press circulated the following story on April 14.)
LOS ANGELES — Two Southern California mayors want a proposed high-speed train that would link the Bay Area with Los Angeles to run through the Antelope Valley instead of along Interstate 5.
Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and Palmdale Mayor James Ledford said the $35 billion line would spur economic growth in the valley and be cheaper to build. They spoke Tuesday at a hearing on a report of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
The authority wants to build a high-speed bullet train to transport passengers between the Bay Area and Los Angeles in about 2 1/2 hours, traveling through Bakersfield, Palmdale, Sylmar and Los Angeles. An alternative route would have the train steer through the Grapevine along Interstate 5 to Sylmar.
“Los Angeles, and in fact the entire Southland, will benefit from the integration of the Antelope Valley population centers into an economically sound regional transportation system,” Hahn said.
In addition to improving the local economy, Ledford said building the line through the valley would take less time.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration proposed earmarking about $1.1 million to fund the authority in the fiscal year that starts July 1.