The California Department of Transportation is proposing to construct a new freeway/expressway connecting the City of Palmdale in Los Angeles County with the town of Apple Valley in San Bernardino County. The proposed freeway/expressway is approximately 63 miles long.

[Caltrans] – The California Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, have released the Draft EIS/EIR on the High Desert Corridor. It will be open for public comment until December 2, 2014.  The proposed main corridor for the HDC covers approximately 63 miles, connecting SR-14 and the Palmdale Transportation Center in Los Angeles County with US-395, I-15, Bear Valley Rd and SR-18 in San Bernardino County.

The HDC aims to improve travel safety and reliability while connecting residential, commercial and industrial areas in the Antelope Valley and Victor Valley, including the cities of Palmdale, Lancaster, Adelanto, Victorville, and the Town of Apple Valley. The HDC environmental and technical studies will consider the importance of improved access and connectivity to regional transportation facilities, including airports, existing passenger rail and future high speed rail systems.

The environmental review is evaluating a No Build alternative and four build alternatives that would improve east-west mobility within the High Desert region of Southern California by addressing present and future travel demands and mobility needs.  All of the four build alternatives currently under study fall within this proposed main corridor alignment.

Major elements currently under study in the Draft EIS/EIR include a new highway/expressway, tollway, high speed rail feeder service, potential green energy production and/or transmission facilities, and a bikeway to create a truly multipurpose infrastructure corridor.

Caltrans and Metro will hold a series of public hearings in November to receive formal public comments on the HDC Draft EIS/EIR.

The hearing dates are:

Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Lake Los Angeles Elementary School
16310 East Avenue Q
Palmdale, CA 93591

Thursday, November 6, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.*
Endeavour School of Exploration
12403 Ridgecrest Rd
Victorville, CA 92395

Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.*
Larry Chimbole Cultural Center, Manzanita Ballroom
38350 Sierra Highway
Palmdale, CA 93550

Thursday, November 13, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Apple Valley Conference Center
14975 Dale Evans Parkway
Apple Valley, CA 92307

*These meetings will be broadcasted live. To participate, please go to ustream.tv/channel/metro-high-desert-corridor. Webcast begins 30 minutes after each start time.

The Draft EIS/EIR may be viewed online at: www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/HDC and at www.metro.net/hdc

The Draft EIS/EIR is also available for review at the following locations:

Caltrans District 7 Office, 100 South Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Caltrans District 8 Office, 464 West 4th St., San Bernardino, CA 92401.

Metro-Dorothy Payton Gray Transportation Library (15th Floor), One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or Friday by appointment.

County of Los Angeles Public Library-Lake Los Angeles Library, 16921 East Avenue O, #A, Palmdale, CA 93591

County of Los Angeles Public Library-Littlerock Library, 35119 80th Street E, Littlerock, CA 93543

County of Los Angeles Public Library-Quartz Hill Library, 42018 50th Street W, Quartz Hill, CA 93536

County of Los Angeles Public Library-Lancaster Library, 601 W. Lancaster Boulevard, Lancaster, CA 93534

San Bernardino County Library-Apple Valley Newton T. Bass Branch, 14901 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley, CA 92307

San Bernardino County Library-Adelanto Branch, 11497 Bartlett Avenue, Adelanto, CA 92301

San Bernardino County Law Library, 15455 Seneca Road, Victorville, CA 92392

City of Palmdale Public Library, 700 East Palmdale Boulevard, Palmdale, CA 93550

City of Victorville Public Library, 15011 Circle Drive, Victorville, CA 92395

Antelope Valley College Library, 3041 W Avenue K, Lancaster, CA 93536

Victor Valley College Library, 18422 Bear Valley Rd., Victorville, CA 92395

City of Palmdale – City Hall, 38300 Sierra Hwy., Palmdale, CA 93550

City of Lancaster – City Hall, 44933 Fern Ave., Lancaster, CA 93534

City of Adelanto – City Hall, 11600 Air Expressway, Adelanto, CA 92301

City of Victorville – City Hall, 14343 Civic Dr., Victorville, CA 92393

Town of Apple Valley – Town Hall, 14955 Dale Evans Pkwy., Apple Valley, CA 92307

The public is encouraged to review the Draft EIS/EIR and plan on attending the upcoming public hearings in November. The public is asked to assess whether or not the potential impacts have been addressed and provide any information that should be included in the final document.  Following the comment period, Caltrans and Metro will evaluate the comments received, revise the document as needed and select a preferred alternative.

The public can submit written comments until December 2, 2014, using the following tools:

Mail -Ronald Kosinki, Caltrans District 7, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 South Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Electronic comments can be submitted through the Caltrans and Metro websites at-  www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/HDC and www.metro.net/hdc

Public Hearings – Verbal and written comments may be submitted during any of the four public hearings noted above.