Train From Coachella Valley To Los Angeles Could Be Coming Soon

Imagine a passenger train taking you from the Coachella Valley to Los Angeles, it’s a project that would save commuters some time behind the wheel.

Talks of a potential connection to the coast has gained a lot of attention lately.

"We’re really excited about this opportunity to bring a daily rail service to the Coachella Valley." says Aaron Hake, the Deputy Executive Director for Riverside County’s Transportation Commission.

It’s set to be a 144-mile train route from LA Union Station to Coachella, and it is set to have four different stops connecting four counties in Southern California.

"This region of the Inland Empire is the largest metropolitan region in the United States that does not have daily intercity rail service… and so what we’re hoping to do with this Coachella Valley Rail project is to bring that daily rail service here."

The rail will help people take a reliable route to their destination of choice.

The idea for the train route has been around for over 30 years and now the Riverside County Transportation Commission says they are in the environmental phase of the project, waiting to be approved for a 20 million dollar grant request.

"Once we get that funding, we’ll be able to put a more realistic timeline on when we can finish the job." says Hake.

Hake states that the project’s price tag could be up to 1 to 1.5 billion dollars.

"We want to get this done as soon as possible. These studies and designing the project and getting it done right does take time. So it could be as long as 10 years. We hope to get it done sooner and we’re doing everything we can to get the funding in place so that we can accelerate the project."

This Coachella Valley rail would help connect the Eastern parts of Southern California to the Western parts, to not only help residents but to help bring business to the desert.

This route will also reduce the number of cars on the road, which will in turn lessen the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

"It’s really important that as we evolve our transportation system in California, and especially in Southern California, that we look for ways of moving about that are cleaner, greener, more efficient, but that are also more convenient… and this is the type of project that does all of those things."

The Coachella Valley Rail will terminate in the City of Coachella, but the commission is looking at a number of potential station-site options including in Palm Springs, Indio, and in the San Gorgonio Pass.