Title

A GIS Approach Analysis for a High Speed Rail System in California (and contiguous U.S.)

Author

Adolfo Galindo,

American River College, Geography 350: Data Acquisition in GIS; Spring 2012

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of how GIS analysis can be used towards understanding and assessing the conditions to construct a HSR (high speed rail) system for California, if not the continental United States. Factors such as acquiring right-of-way, rider coverage, station location and accessibility, rail support facilities, parking, environmental impact, are just a few examples a GIS can be used to evaluate conditions and opportunites to facilitate a successful rail project. Other tangible factors like, socio economic impact, costs and benefits from usage and residuals from riders coming to and from a HSR station are all part of the framework for an overdue and very much needed transportation project for this country.

Introduction

Aside from political and fiscal obstructions which have so far hindered the construction process of a HSR, this paper will focus on the data collection and GIS methods for quantifying and evaluating the steps needed to proceed with a HSR project. Many detailed studies and reports have already been conducted on the feasibility for a HSR, however, it is the purpose of this paper to provide an overview of how GIS and associated data was used to support their results.

In a nutshell, my question is; how is it that we don't have an American version of a high speed "Euro-pass rail system" by now, when it makes perfect sense for other countries to do so?

Background

On November 4, 2008 voters passed Proposition 1A to approve $9.95 billion in bonds to fund the California High Speed Rail Authority’s plan to connect San Francisco and Los Angeles with a high speed rail line, with further expansion to Sacramento and San Diego planned in the future. The proposition passed with 53% of the vote. With almost half of the population opposing funding the project there are bound to be critics. A majority of people still rely on automobiles, taxis, and other forms of transportation even if they’re using public transportation on a regular basis. This illustrates the problem with trying to provide both fast and convenient transportation for the public. Too many stops mean too much time spent traveling. Too few stops means that train service is only convenient for people whose destination happens to be at or near one of the stops.

As a recent user of light rail transportation, I discovered the benefits of having an efficiently designed light rail system for getting in and out metropolitan places versus the hassles of parking and traffic to the same destination. Furthermore, if we took the process of traveling to other metropolitan places several hundred miles away, the convenience would be the same with the added benefit of reduced travel cost and time savings if conventional means (auto or airline) were to be used.

If we can envision a truly well designed high speed rail network for the continental U.S. I would truly think that it would radically change the way we would live and work since a high speed rail would offer another alternate means to stay more connected with our friends, co-workers and families since the cost of booking a round trip fare would be a fraction of the cost via an airline.

The American mind set for using more mass transit on a grand scale needs to be addressed and set in place so that the public at large can “adopt” and get used to the idea travelling from Sacramento to L.A. a little more than 2 hours vs. 8 hours and perhaps offer the choice to live further away from cities altogether, thereby lessening urban congestion.

One should also consider the fact that unlike most airline routes, a high speed rail system can provide stops along a destination route, without having to cut greatly into travel time, and therefore, give the rider more opportunities to do more business, or pleasure and at the same time, see more of the country along the way, even when traveling at 200 mph.

Below is a high speed rail map for the U.S., as envisioned by the High Speed Rail Authority in a recent publication.

The same concept, although, now an everyday reality for most part of Europe.

A High Speed Rail station in Oslo, Sweden:

A high speed station at Waterloo, station, France.

The famous Shinkansen trains of Japan

High Speed Rail System – Japan.

Proposed High Speed Rail routes for California.

Methods

High speed rail has been an interest in the United States for sometime, however, the movement to facilitate a complete country wide system, let alone one in California, has been put off by too many constraints, primarily funding and political support.

As fuel prices rise, consumers have been looking for ways to utilize mass transportation that is not only convenient but an efficient way to save time and travel cost. However, through the adversity and the hype of the cost of building a high speed rail service, one must consider how the rail design and construction could be accommodated. The use of cadastral mapping thru GIS is one method to address this problem.

Cadastrals can be easily examined using a GIS where pertinent information about specific land parcel features and their attributes could in turn provide an analysis for suitable rail locations. Likewise, a spatial query for rider access, environmental impacts and other concerns can also be addressed when selecting the two most important considerations for a high speed rail; track and station location.

Consider the following examples of a GIS suitability analysis taken from a study done in Texas: