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The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) today released its Preliminary Alternatives Analyses for the Fresno-to-Bakersfield and San Jose-to-Merced sections of the state’s proposed 800-miles high-speed rail line.

Based on feedback from more than 100 meetings with community leaders and residents, the analyses look at potential station locations and track alignments to determine which options merit further study and which raise too many environmental concerns or are otherwise impractical, CHSRA officials said in a prepared statement.

The reports set parameters for the next level of design and environmental analysis, which will be incorporated into draft environmental impact reports for each portion of the project.

On the San Jose-to-Merced portion, the analysis found that an elevated high-speed rail station above the existing Caltrain Diridon station would maximize connectivity and development potential in the station area, CHSRA officials said.
The analysis also found that an underground station would be impractical because of “poor soil and groundwater.”

For potential track alignments, the report recommends using the SR-87/I-280 freeway corridors for the approach to the Diridon station in order to minimize the impact on neighborhoods in San Jose.

The analysis also recommends that engineers continue to study proposed stations in downtown Gilroy and an alternative location east of Gilroy, and that study continue of the Monterey Highway/Union Pacific Railroad corridor and US-101 corridor options between Morgan Hill and Gilroy, CHSRA officials said.

The report also recommended further study of both trench and aerial structure options through downtown Gilroy.

For the Fresno-to-Bakersfield section, the analysis recommends further study of three possible elevated alignments: one west of the Union Pacific Railroad right of way, one east of it, and a third that combines portions of both.

All three options provide for a station in downtown Fresno.

South of Fresno, the report recommends further study of an alignment adjacent to the BNSF Railway Co. right of way, with a potential station in Kings County.

The report also recommends the authority continue to study elevated alternatives near Corcoran, Wasco and Shafter, and that four alternative alignments near UP’s right of way be withdrawn from further review.

An at-grade alternative route for the town of Allensworth is being considered to avoid impacting the Allensworth Ecological Preserve, CHSRA officials said.

The analysis for Bakersfield identifies two elevated options for continued study: one that passes through BNSF’s yard and runs next to the Amtrak station, and another that runs north of the BNSF yard and one block south of the Amtrak station.