VICTORVILLE – HDR, announced June 23, that it was selected to provide engineering, design and advisory services for the intercity passenger rail project linking Victorville and Palmdale.

HDR said the 54-mile rail corridor will improve connectivity with California’s planned high-speed rail network. It will also open access to housing, jobs and cultural opportunities previously out of reach.

The service, reaching speeds of up to 180 mph, will link Antelope Valley’s transit hub to the future Brightline West 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.

Construction scheduled to begin in the early 2030s

Under a five-year contract, the HDR-led team will provide a wide range of engineering services for the authority. 

These include rail design, station integration, facility design, systems planning, bridge design, environmental support, stakeholder coordination, risk management, procurement, contract administration, among others. 

HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker said this is great news for Southern California and the future of high-speed rail in the United States.

“We have an exceptional team gathered with world-class expertise in large-scale transit corridors,” said Tucker.

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

HDR was founded over a century ago

HDR is a 100% employee-owned professional services firm. Founded over a century ago to bring electricity to a changing world, they are now a global company specializing in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services.