High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency selects HDR for engineering, design services for high-speed rail corridor

HDR will provide engineering, design and advisory services for the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency’s (JPA) intercity passenger rail project that will link Palmdale to Victorville, Calif. 

The 54-mile rail corridor will improve connectivity with California’s planned high-speed rail network and open access to housing, jobs and cultural opportunities previously out of reach. With proposed speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, the service will provide a fast connection from a multimodal transportation hub in Los Angeles County’s Antelope Valley to the future Brightline West high-speed rail station in San Bernardino County. Eventually, the rail network will connect Southern California to the northern half of the state, Las Vegas and beyond.  

“The High Desert Corridor will improve connectivity and accessibility for millions of travelers, generate billions in economic activity and open new opportunities for the whole region,” said HDR Project Manager Girair Kotchian. “It’s a privilege to be involved with such a momentous project for Southern California.” 

Under a five-year contract, the HDR-led team will provide a wide range of engineering services for the agency. These include rail design, systems and station integration, operations and maintenance facility design, systems planning, bridge design, right-of-way coordination, environmental support services, stakeholder coordination, risk management, procurement support and contract administration, among others.  

“Delivering the engineering and advisory services associated with the High Desert Corridor requires a multidisciplinary team that can maximize a broad array of opportunities and tackle diverse challenges with resilience, technical expertise and unwavering focus,” said HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker. “We have an exceptional team gathered with world class expertise in large-scale transit corridors. This is great news for Southern California and the future of high-speed rail in the United States.” 

HDR notes the project is currently completing environmental documentation and preliminary engineering. It is scheduled to proceed to construction in the early 2030s.