Hi Desert Corridor (HDC) Update

Los Angeles – At the January 24 Zoom meeting of the North County Transportation Coalition (NCTC), the following information was presented regarding the status of the High Desert Corridor project.

After the completion of the HDC Environmental phase, the project was split into two projects: 1) Passenger Rail and 2) High Improvements.

Metro’s Regional Rail department is leading the advancement of the rail component in collaboration with a private party. SR-138/SR-18 highway alignment is considered as an alternative highway connection between Palmdale and Victorville and is in the planning stage.

SR-138/18 alignment is currently considered as an alternative to the HDC Highway component alignment and will provide an improved highway connections between Palmdale and Victorville.

Development of Project Study Report-Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) of the potential highway project is in progress by Metro, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and CalTrans Districts 7 and 8 to explore the possibility and feasibility of widening SR-18 for a continuous 4 lane highway between Palmdale and Victorville.

By Shirley Harriman