Passenger Train Service Between LA, Coachella Valley Stays On Track

COACHELLA VALLEY — Congressman Ken Calvert (R-41) announced Friday he secured nearly $10 million in federal funding for Coachella Valley transportation projects, with half of it set aside for added environmental studies on the proposed passenger train service between Los Angeles and the desert.

Of the overall $23.8 million that Calvert secured for the 41st District as part of the federal Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill, $5 million is reserved for the Coachella Valley Rail project. Another $4 million is set aside for the Highway 111 Resurfacing Project in La Quinta, and $673,872 is reserved for the Regional Flood Mitigation Project to improve Indian Canyon, Gene Autry Trail, and Ramon Road crossings of the Whitewater River stormwater channel in Palm Springs.

"Riverside County continues to be one of the fastest growing regions in the state and country, which is why we need additional resources to build long-overdue infrastructure projects for our residents," Calvert said in a released statement. "My staff and I have worked collaboratively with the cities and transportation agencies in our district to prioritize the critical projects that are needed and eligible to receive federal funding."

Five million dollars may seem like a drop in the bucket for the massive $1 billion Coachella Valley Rail undertaking, but the project is very much alive. The latest funding will be allocated toward "Tier 2" environmental studies estimated to cost $60 million, of which $40 million in state funds have been secured, according to Riverside County Transportation Commission Chair and Lake Elsinore City Councilmember Robert "Bob" Magee.

With the latest $5 million, Magee said the RCTC is "narrowing the gap" that is expected to be filled soon.

The proposed passenger train service would extend approximately 144 miles between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley with stops in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, including up to six stations on the east end.

The train service is planned with an approximate trip time of 3 hours and 15 minutes. Amtrak will likely provide the intercity service on existing tracks shared with other freight and passenger rail operators, according to the RCTC.

The project would augment Amtrak's eastern corridor to Arizona and beyond with connections to various rail services that would broaden travel opportunities nationwide, according to proponents.

"The project will be an economic driver for Riverside County and beyond, connecting communities between Coachella Valley and Los Angeles and expanding access to jobs and education centers, as well as tourism opportunities," Magee said.

In July 2022, the RCTC certified the final Tier 1/program-level environmental impact statement/report for the project. The Tier 2/project-level environmental analysis will study proposed train stations and detailed engineering, according to the RCTC.

In addition to the Coachella Valley Rail, the Highway 111 resurfacing, and the regional flood mitigation in Palm Springs, Calvert secured more than $14 million in federal funding as part of the $23.8 million for other transportation projects in the 41st Congressional District, including:

• $4 million for the Ontario Avenue / Interstate 15 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project in Corona
• $2.2 million for the Garbani Road/I-215 Interchange Project in Menifee
• $4 million for the County Line Road Project in Calimesa
• $2 million for Lake Elsinore Camino Del Norte Infrastructure Improvements in Lake Elsinore
• $2 million for the Interstate 10 & Cherry Valley Interchange Project in Calimesa

The congressman's 41st District includes the cities of Corona, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Calimesa, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indian Wells, and portions of Eastvale and Riverside. The district also includes nearby unincorporated areas.