The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s government relations committee
recommended that the chamber form a subcommittee that specifically
focuses on the California High-Speed Rail project, which would run
through Gilroy.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s government relations committee recommended that the chamber form a subcommittee that specifically focuses on the California High-Speed Rail project, which would run through Gilroy. The chamber board will formally vote on the matter when it meets Tuesday.
Morgan Hill’s Chamber of Commerce has not conducted any formal discussions about the possibility of forming a committee to study the effect of the bullet train on Morgan Hill businesses, but they might do so now.
Chamber Board of Directors Chair Brian Sullivan said the board might be interested in working with the Gilroy Chamber on high-speed rail studies. The board will likely consider such a partnership, or forming its own subcommittee, now that Morgan Hill’s neighbor to the south is doing so.
The California High-Speed Rail system, which high-speed rail officials expect to be fully operational by 2020, is slated to have routes from San Diego to Sacramento and the Bay Area, transporting passengers at speeds of up to 220 mph. A 123-mile stretch from Merced to San Jose would run through the Pacheco Pass with a proposed station in Gilroy. The entire rail project is estimated to cost $42.5 billion.
The rail authority has recommended various route options through Morgan Hill, including running the tracks just east of the Union Pacific railroad tracks on the east side of downtown, next to U.S. 101 on the east side of the freeway, on an elevated track or at grade.
The city council adopted a resolution last year supporting an alignment along U.S. 101, and a bullet train station in Gilroy.
The route options in Gilroy, where a station to serve high-speed rail passengers is likely, are more complicated. One option includes a new station east of town on Leavesley Road as the train turns eastward toward Pacheco Pass. Other options include expanding the existing Caltrain station in downtown Gilroy to accommodate the higher volume of traffic expected with the bullet train.
Ben Strumwasser, regional outreach manager for the San Jose to Merced section of the high-speed rail project, told attendees at Friday’s Gilroy Chamber meeting that the California High-Speed Rail Authority must complete a final alternatives analysis of various train routes by June.
The rail authority has given quarterly updates to the chamber’s government relations committee, which meets once a month.
Gilroy City Administrator Tom Haglund, who attended the chamber meeting, urged community members to be vigilant about providing input.
“Inaction means we may end up with something that doesn’t benefit (Gilroy) the way that it should,” he said.
Morgan Hill officials have said the bullet train could provide new economic development opportunities as it passes through South County, but they think a route too close to downtown Morgan Hill will create a barrier that divides the community. Alignment on U.S. 101, an already existing barrier, would not disrupt the community, officials have said.
