STATE LAUNCHING STUDY OF HIGH-SPEED RAIL ROUTES.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

PALMDALE - The state is launching a $25 million study on the environmental impacts of a high-speed rail system through Palmdale or over the Grapevine - an effort that will include a look at the technical issues for the competing Bakersfield-to-Los Angeles alignments.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority selected Parsons Binckerhoff Quade and Douglas as the program manager for the environmental study - the official kickoff of the state's efforts to build the rail system.

``This is a major milestone for the authority,'' said Edward Graveline, vice chairman of the authority board. ``The funds in the 2000-01 budget that Gov. Davis signed provide the authority the means to begin the process that will lead to a high-speed train system for all of California.''

The rail authority is seeking three requests for proposals for studies involving individual segments. Those segments include Bakersfield to Los Angeles; San Francisco Bay to Merced; and Sacramento to Bakersfield.

Contracts will be awarded in October. The work will run for at least two years, said authority spokesman John Barna.

``These studies will provide the technical crux of the environmental impact report,'' Barna said.

There is debate over which route between Bakersfield and Los Angeles is the most effective. Rail authority staffers have argued a route through the Grapevine Pass would be shorter and therefore less expensive to build and operate.

Antelope Valley officials, backed by officials from the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, say a route through Palmdale would be the most effective. Antelope Valley officials argue that a Grapevine Pass route would required tunneling and more mitigation to ease environmental concerns.

Antelope Valley officials also argue that the state would benefit more from the development and job production that a Palmdale alignment would generate.

``Our goal is to oversee this EIR,'' said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. ``We think the Antelope Valley should be the state's choice. It is a more environmentally friendly alternative and I think it will be a more user-friendly alignment.''

The rail authority is trying to develop a plan to build a $25 billion high-speed system that would run from Sacramento and the San Fernando Bay Area to San Diego.