The Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a motion that will have the county join a new High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency (JPA) to identify funding and facilitate the continued planning, development, and construction of the High Desert Multipurpose Corridor project – the first phase of which will connect high desert cities in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties through a new high-speed, intercity rail alignment.
The 54-mile-high speed rail project is part of a larger vision to connect Los Angeles to Las Vegas and will provide a new transportation mode for some of the fastest growing areas in Southern California, increase access to affordable housing stock, spur job creation and economic development, help the State achieve its climate goals, and invest in Equity Focus Communities which comprise most of the project’s alignment, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
“The new High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency maintains our commitment to our federal, state, tribal, and private sector partners and stakeholders, as well as the voters of Los Angeles County who approved this as a priority project under Measure M,” Barger said. “This is a transformative project for our High Desert communities. Having multiple partners at the table ensures a collective vision is ultimately realized.”
This new JPA will become the successor agency to the long-running High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which expired July 1. Los Angeles County joins the cities of Lancaster and Adelanto who have already approved their membership. The cities of Palmdale and Victorville, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will vote on their membership in the coming weeks.
The motion also defines Los Angeles County’s roles and responsibilities, naming Supervisor Barger and, in future years, the Supervisor of the Fifth District, as the Board Director for the High Desert Corridor JPA, the Treasurer and Tax Collector as treasurer of the agency, Auditor-Controller as auditor of the agency, and County Counsel as legal counsel for the agency.
