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Next month, the California High Speed Rail Authority and Federal Railroad Administration will continue holding statewide public hearings until April 28 on the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement.

A high-speed rail system is a viable solution for California’s growing transportation needs, according to the 2,500-page report. By 2020, up to 68 million passengers could ride the proposed 700-mile system, which would cost two to three times less than expanding highways and airports. The system would increase mobility, relieve highway congestion, help protect the environment and boost the state’s economy, the report states.

The authority spent more than 30 months gathering, analyzing and evaluating data for the report.