Homegrown Rail Study Holds 2nd Meeting Next Week

The second major meeting in Gilroy’s homegrown high-speed rail study will occur next week, using a small-group approach to help develop a specific vision for the two station possibilities facing the city.

“We want to make sure the whole range of views is represented,” said Jeff Williams, manager of the visioning project.

The upcoming workshop will be on Wednesday, June 15, in the Student Center at 750 W. 10th St.

Unlike the California High-Speed Rail Authority's own workshops, Gilroy’s study is independent and being conducted collaboratively with the consulting firm Design, Community and Environment.

A grant from the Valley Transportation Authority paid for the majority of the study, and the ultimate goal is a single recommendation for the future station that, after approval from the Gilroy City Council, will be passed on to the rail authority later this year.

At the upcoming meeting, attendees will break into smaller groups and look specifically at the two station options that the rail authority is considering for Gilroy: a downtown location and an area of partially unincorporated land on the east side of town.

Project members will also present the findings of their existing conditions report, which examined how elements like existing transit infrastructure would integrate with each location.

“It’s meant to get everybody on the same page on what’s happening in Gilroy today,” said Williams.

He said he was happy with the turnout at , which served as an intro to the project and ranked the concerns of participants.

The outcome of that meeting, as well as future data and frequently asked questions, is expected to be available on the project website later this week, he said.