City of Santa Clarita officials hosted a meeting for the SCV Transportation Coalition Thursday morning to discuss issues including the upcoming California High Speed Rail Authority board meeting slated for Sept. 16, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. at Palmdale City Hall.

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The group agreed to advocate for inclusion of the Palmdale to Burbank direct alignment in the EIS/EIR that is being completed for the proposed High Speed Rail Project. This alignment would avoid Santa Clarita, Acton and Agua Dulce.

“I asked that the Coalition be brought together because it is vital that our community speak with one voice on this very important issue that will impact our community for years to come,” said Mayor Pro Tem Marsha Mclean. “The Coalition, which is comprised of businesses, educators, legislators and residents, is united in their request for the study of the direct alignment from Burbank to Palmdale.”

The group also discussed the process for developing SCV transportation priorities for future local transportation measures, as well as the need to enhance Metrolink services along the Antelope Valley line.

Related: California High-Speed Rail Authority Extends Public Comment Period

Attending the meeting today was: Assemblymember Scott Wilk; representatives from Senator Knight, Senator Pavley, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congressman Buck McKeon and Supervisor Antonovich.

Other attendees included Joan Lucid, Superintendent of the Saugus Union School District; Rob Challinor, Superintendent of the William S. Hart School District; Lynn David from the Sulphur Springs School District; Jim Backer, Chairman of the Board of the SCV Chamber, Terri Crain, SCV Chamber Executive Director, and Holly Schroeder, President and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corporation.

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The California high-speed rail expected to connect major cities across the state including Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Orange County and San Diego.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is responsible for planning, designing, building and operation of the first high-speed rail system in the nation.

The High-Speed Train will feature electric trains capable of operating at speeds of 200 miles per hour or greater, guaranteed maximum travel times between major destinations, and achievable operating headway, the time between successive trains, of five minutes or less.

By 2029, the system is planned to run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours.

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