Passenger rail programs: strategic planning.

Existing law creates the Department of Transportation in the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, with various powers and duties relative to the intercity passenger rail program, among other transportation programs. Existing law creates in state government the High-Speed Rail Authority, with various powers and duties relative to development and implementation of a high-speed passenger train system. The authority has 9 members, 5 appointed by the Governor and 4 appointed by the Legislature. Existing law also creates in state government the California Transportation Commission, with various powers and duties relative to programming of transportation capital projects and assisting the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing in formulating state transportation policies. This bill would require the 5 members of the authority appointed by the Governor to be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill would require the authority to annually adopt and submit a 5-year high-speed rail passenger train program to the Governor and Legislature, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Transportation to prepare a 5-year Strategic Rail Connectivity Plan for the state, the focus of which would be to identify, with a statewide emphasis, opportunities for passenger rail system improvements and linkages. The plan would be required to include desirable linkages and feeder opportunities between high-speed and conventional intercity rail, commuter rail, and rail transit, and to identify the coordination in planning and the capital investments necessary in that regard. The plan would also be required to identify future right-of-way needs of passenger rail lines in connection with state and local highway system improvements in order to accommodate future rail system improvements. The plan would be developed in consultation with the High-Speed Rail Authority, transportation planning agencies, and the agencies and entities responsible for the various rail and highway systems. A draft of the plan would initially be presented on an informational basis at a meeting of the California Transportation Commission, followed by a public comment period. Upon considering the public comments, the department would make another informational presentation to the commission prior to finalizing the plan and submitting it to the Federal Railroad Administration.