CEO Report

May 11, 2023

Program Update | Legislative Update | Federal Grant Application Update | US High Speed Rail Conference | Heavy Maintenance Facility Update | Awards | Relevant Materials

PROGRAM UPDATE

• East Church Avenue
  • Change Order: 471.1:
    • Justification: The final Merced to Fresno EIR/EIS and executed agreement with the City of Fresno resulted in changes to the original design of Church Avenue. The Authority has approved this change order to compensate the contractor for the costs associated with the changes to the scope of work and required modifications to the Church Avenue overcrossing. This action is needed to comply with the final Merced to Fresno EIR/EIS and the agreement with the City of Fresno
  • • Scope of Work: Scope change and modifications to design
    • Cost: $132,684,677.69

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Legislative Hearings:

• April 24, 2023 – AB 501 (Fong) would have suspended the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (Cap-and-Trade) appropriation to the High-Speed Rail Authority and shifted the funding toward water infrastructure projects. Bill failed on a vote of 4-11
• April 12, 2023 – Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 and Transportation Joint Hearing on the Project Update Report
• March 28, 2023 – Senate Transportation Hearing on the Project Update Report

Bagley Keene Update:

• SB 544 (Laird) proposes to extend state body teleconferencing allowances during public meetings beyond July 1, 2023

FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION UPDATE

• Federal grant funding opportunities
• Dozens of support letters from 150+:
  • Small businesses
  • City/County elected officials
  • 29 members of the CA Legislature
  • 34 Congressmembers and both US Senators
  • Business and Labor organizations
  • Two Former US Secretaries of Transportation
  • Former Governor Brown
  • Governor Newsom

US HIGH-SPEED RAIL CONFERENCE, WASHINGTON, DC

• California High-Speed Rail Authority sponsoring and participating in the national US HSR conference in Washington, DC
• CEO and Director Meg Cederoth participating in various panels on the project with experts from around the globe

HEAVY MAINTENANCE FACILITY ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY UPDATE

Environmental Services Contract – Central Valley Heavy Maintenance Facility:

• Procure an architectural and engineering consultant to provide environmental clearance and preliminary engineering services to obtain environmental clearance for the Central Valley Heavy Maintenance Facility
• The CV-HMF sites to be evaluated are located within the counties of Merced, Fresno, Kings, and Kern. There are 11 identified sites to be evaluated are located within the counties of Merced, Fresno, Kings, and Kern
• Minimum criteria includes minimum acreage, minimum length, grade separated, two separate access points, access controlled entry points, and roadway access
• Sites will be screened against this and other criteria
• Staff will return to the Board with a preferred alternative for its approval in 2025
• Scope of work includes evaluation and analysis of the HMF design alternatives, develop environmental documents, and obtain Notice of Decision/Record of Decision (NOD/ROD) or other appropriate CEQA/NEPA approvals
• The not-to-exceed dollar value is $4.9 million with a two-year term
• Key Contract Procurement Dates are shown in the table (see PowerPoint)

HIGH-SPEED RAIL AWARDS RECOGNITIONS

• CAPIO EPIC Award Finalist: Video Production for the Project Section Overview Series videos of:
  • San Francisco to San Jose
  • San Jose to Merced
• American Planning Association California: Northern Section’s 2023 Excellence Award for Advancing Diversity and Social Change
• WTS SF Bay Area Chapter: Employer of the Year. Awards ceremony to be held in the fall

RELATED MATERIALS

• Board Memo for May 2023 CEO Report.
• May 2023 CEO Report PowerPoint Presentation.
• To Come: Video of the May 2023 Board Meeting and CEO Report.