As the bullet train picks up speed, neighborhoods fight back

After years of discussion and planning, California has finally started construction on its high speed rail system, which is supposed to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco by the year 2029.

There are countless engineering challenges ahead for the project, but there also challenges when it comes to dealing with communities potentially in the path of the bullet train. How do you choose a route that’s fast and eliminates miles traveled while also causing the minimum amount of pain and trouble to residents? It’s not easy.

As potential routes are picked, some communities are starting to organize in opposition. They want to make sure that what are now just lines on map never turn into a reality.

One Southern California community’s that’s starting to mount an opposition to the train and its possible route is Shadow Hills, a semi-rural patch of north Los Angeles. It’s a struggle that could be waged for years as high speed rail planning continues and construction begins.

There are two routes being studied to get the train between Palmdale and Burbank. One involves essentially paralleling California State Route 14 in a series of bridges and tunnels, bringing the train through such communities as Santa Clarita, Sylmar and San Fernando so that it eventually reaches Burbank. Another possible route, dubbed the Eastern Corridor, means tunneling through the Angeles National Forest and building a bridge across the Tujunga Wash, seen in the photo above. Another tunnel would then be dug under the community of Shadow Hills so that the train can get arrive in Burbank. Other communities affected by this route include Lake View Terrace and Kagel Canyon.This route is considered possibly attractive because it takes about 10 miles off the journey between Palmdale and Burbank. (Photo: Saul Gonzalez)