About Us
HDC JPA Board of Directors Members
Kathryn Barger, Chair HDC JPA, Supervisor, 5th Supervisorial District, Los Angeles County
Elizabeth Becerra, Vice Chair HDC JPA, Council Member, City of Victorville
Eric Ohlsen, Mayor, City of Palmdale
Lauren Hughes-Leslie, Council Member, City of Lancaster
Ara Najarian, Chair, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Northern Corridor Cities Representative
Gabriel Reyes, Mayor, City of Adelanto
HDC JPA Board Member Alternates
Richard Loa, Council Member, City of Palmdale
Bob Harriman, Council Member, City of Victorville
Daniel Ramos, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Adelanto
HDC JPA Staff
Arthur V. Sohikian, Executive Director
About the Project
The High Desert Corridor (HDC) is a proposed multipurpose transportation route connecting Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County with Victor Valley in San Bernardino County. The first phase is a 54-mile high-speed rail project between the two fast growing regions.
The HDC is primarily funded by the voter-approved Los Angeles County Measure M Expenditure Plan with nearly $170 million in the current and near-term fiscal years as well as $1.86 billion in later years (2063-2067) that could leverage federal, state, and private funds to construct the HDC High-Speed Rail Project.
Project Status
The High Desert Corridor JPA FY25-26 budget is fully funded to continue the project development of the High Desert Corridor Intercity High-Speed Rail Project. The project received California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) clearance in June 2016. The HDC JPA is working on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, who has been delegated as the NEPA lead agency by the Federal Railroad Administration.
The High Desert Corridor Intercity High-Speed Rail Project objective is to proceed with NEPA environmental clearance with a goal to receive the Record of Decision (ROD) approvals in late 2026/early 2027. This will advance environmental clearance for the high-speed rail project to advance the project design, engineering, and other project development activities.
Concurrently, HDC JPA and LA Metro are finalizing the HDC Intercity Rail Service Development Plan & Funding Plan, a key component to receive federal and state funds. The Plan is funded with $5.0 million of HDC Measure M funds, $1.375 million in CalSTA 2018 Transit Intercity Rail Capital Plan State grant funds under the Network Integration category, $2.9 million of FRA Corridor ID Program funds, and $625K from Brightline West ($250K in cash and $375K of in-kind contributions).
- Local – Measure M funds committed by Metro are divided into two allocations per the Measure M Expenditure Plan:
- $170M in early funds available for predevelopment activities: $145 million remaining (Dec 2025)
- Funds available for capital construction: $1.86 billion (available in FY2063 – 2067)
- State – In 2023, CalSTA awarded $8 million TIRCP funds for reimbursed predevelopment-related design engineering expenditures.
- Federal – In 2023, HDC JPA awarded grant funding under the FRA Corridor ID Program for reimbursed expenditures related to the Service and Financial Development Plan (SDP):
- $500k for Corridor ID Step 1 (Obligated)
- $2.4 million for Corridor ID Step 2 (Pending FRA final approval)
- HDC JPA continues to work to leverage existing funds to advance the project to construction
Recent Milestones
Benefits
- 54-mile High-Speed Intercity Rail Connector Project
- EIR/EIS Completed in 2016
- 8+ year public process, with Federal Railroad Administration as Federal Cooperating Agency
- HDC Seeking NEPA/Record of Decision approvals
- Two Environmentally Cleared Stations by:
- CAHSR Palmdale, LA County, 2021
- Brightline West, Victor Valley, San Bernardino County, 2023
- Measure M Expenditure Plan local revenue allocations of:
- $170M FY2019-21 – Project Development Activities
- $1.86B in FY2063-67 – Construction
- To date, ALL funds expended are local and state
