Engineering firm HDR has been appointed by the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency to deliver engineering, design, and advisory services for a new intercity high-speed passenger rail line in Southern California. The 53.99-miles-long corridor will link Palmdale in Los Angeles County with Victorville in San Bernardino County, forming part of the wider high-speed rail (HSR) network in the state.
The proposed service is expected to operate at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, offering a direct connection between the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County and the planned Brightline West station in San Bernardino County. In the longer term, the corridor is intended to help establish continuous HSR travel between Southern California, Northern California, Las Vegas, Nevada, and beyond.
The scope of work includes detailed rail and bridge design, station and systems integration, development of operations and maintenance facilities, environmental support, stakeholder engagement, procurement, and contract administration.
Work on the corridor is currently at the stage of environmental documentation and preliminary engineering. Construction is anticipated to begin in the early 2030s, subject to approvals and funding.