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D . -, ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- '-- Mayor Pro Tem Howard recessed the Meeting at 8:42 p.m. Meeting reconvened at 8:55 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Transportation Issues Reports 1. High Speed Rail: Howard Goode, Deputy Executive Director, San Mateo County Transportation Authority (702). Engineering Manager Patterson introduced Howard Goode who described the just finished State Commission study on the feasibility of high speed rail service in California. Mr. Goode said proponents of high speed rail service advise that it would be competitive with air travel, with a trip ITom downtown LA to downtown SF in just under three hours. Mr. Goode used overheads to show maps of proposed routes ITom Los Angeles to the Bay Area, with branches to Sacramento and San Diego, and said trains would average 150 miles per hour. Director Goode said the High Speed Rail Authority has replaced the Commission which finished its job with distribution of its Report. He said the Authority is focusing on where the system should go and how should it be fmanced. He advised that decisions would be made that impact Redwood City - would the train go up the ~ Peninsula to San Francisco or bypass the west side of the Bay and go to Oakland instead? Would it be financed by a statewide quarter cent sales tax, statewide five or six cents per gallon gas tax, or should only those communities impacted by the rail itself finance the entire system? Director Goode explained the expected costs of the project which would probably total $20.7 Billion dollars, which would include every grade separation on the Peninsula if the system used this route to San Francisco. He advised that proponents believe the system would operate at a profit. However, he added that high speed rail was "not just about to happen," that it would take a major effort to build the system, and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority was monitoring its progress carefully. Council Members discussed the possible impacts of high speed trains through Redwood City, and agreed that much more information was needed before the Council would feel comfortable voting on this issue. 2. 101 Corridor: 101 Corridor Task Force Committee, Howard Goode; (702); Director Goode described the San Mateo Transportation Authority Task Force and - CalTrans work on auxiliary lanes (from one on Tamp to next off ramp) for the 101 Corridor, between Highway 92 and the Woodside Interchange. ADJOURNED REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 55 FEBRUARY 3, 1997 MINUTES Page No. 127 PAGE 6