Opinion

High Speed Rail is moving ahead much more quickly than anyone anticipated. The decision on the preferred option through or around Morgan Hillis going to be made this fall by the HSR Authority, within the next month and a half.The California HSRA has currently identified four different options.Option 1: The “at grade” option adjacent to the Union Pacific line Monterey Road corridor.It is important to understand that the “at grade” proposal is not what you imagine based on the name.The tracks through Morgan Hill would be located on a berm with a retaining wall on both sides, up to 14 feet tall.That would place a 14 foot wall that divides the community. In areas where there is a concern about additional noise (i.e., adjacent to residential structures or other locations) there could be an additional 12 foot high sound wall.In addition, the wall may be located at up to 102 feet from the existing Union Pacific tracks, eliminating hundreds of homes and businesses on the east side of the UP tracks.  If you can imagine a three-story building with no windows, activity, ornamentation, or life extending all the way through the community, from north of Cochrane to south of Tennant Avenue, you can visualize how the potential divide will impact the community.Option 2: The aerial approach adjacent to the Union Pacific line Monterey Road corridor.The aerial approach is a monorail-like structure with two tracks up to 50 feet wide. This would be substantially higher than Option 1, at a minimum of 30 feet and up to 60 feet above the area to the east of the tracks through the city. There may also be a 102-foot setback from the UP lines.This option would impact hundreds of new residential units, existing housing and businesses, and create a huge visual and sound division.  Option 3: Along the east side of 101.The focus of option 3 is to shift the entire HSR to the east side of 101. The impact on the homes and businesses on that side is clear, especially considering the HSRA would need to cross the freeway twice, at minimum.Option 4: Along the west side of 101.The most recent option, and the one that seems to make the most sense, calls for an aerial approach that would come down Monterey Highway and then, to the north of Sobrato High School, angle off toward 101. HSR would then parallel 101 through Morgan Hill and, after passing Tennant Avenue, would return to connect again with the UP alignment and continue south to Gilroy. This option disrupts the least number of businesses and residents and co-locates noisy activities, freeway and train.We need to tell the HSRA our preferred option now! If we don’t weigh in, we will be completely disregarded by the HSRA.  According to the HSRA timeline, by fall of 2016 (yes that's this year), their intent is to have selected two options to take through the environmental review process.It is important as a community that we immediately come together in a way that clearly identifies our preference. Option 4 may not be perfect, but it avoids channeling the HSR through the main part of town, and clusters like functions together.Use the High Speed Rail Comments form on the city website morganhill.ca.gov/forms.aspx?FID=212 to tell the HSRA your preference for the HSR route through Morgan Hill.Lesley Miles is co-owner of Weston Miles Architects in downtown Morgan Hill.