The project, which will travel between Palmdale and Apple Valley through the High Desert region, would mainly consist of a high-speed rail line connecting the California High-Speed Rail system at its proposed Palmdale station with the Brightline West route at its proposed Victor Valley station.

[7] At the time, the California High-Speed Rail project had received its initial federal funding only two years prior and had not yet begun construction, whereas the planned high-speed link between Las Vegas and Southern California now being undertaken by Brightline West was a private project still under development under the name "DesertXpress".

In 2016, final documents of the environmental impact review led by Caltrans were published, clearing a requirement for planning approval set by Californian state law CEQA.

The documents stated the intention to acquire enough right-of-way to sustain space for up to five freeway lanes in each direction and a high-speed rail line.

[9] In September 2019, Caltrans settled the lawsuit put forth by Climate Resolve in 2016, which included the provision that the freeway portion of the project could not proceed absent a Supplemental Environmental Review (SEIR).