Fresno Trench & State Route 180 Passageway

Just outside of downtown Fresno, crews have completed the walls, floor and lid of the Fresno Trench and are now placing concrete for the intrusion protection barrier walls that will separate the high-speed rail corridor and Union Pacific Railroad. Meanwhile below State Route 180 (SR 180), backfilling and reconstruction of eastbound lanes are taking place as crews prepare for the next stage of work that will reconstruct the number 1 and 2 lanes of SR 180 going east and westbound.

North of downtown Fresno, rebar is now being placed for the floor of the box that will carry high-speed trains through the trench alongside the Union Pacific lines and under State Route 180. Under the highway, the support scaffolding is in place for the lid of the box in preparation for a series of concrete pours to form the lid. The walls, floor and lid will all consist of solid concrete, about five feet thick.

Workers on the State Route 180 trench, a little north of downtown Fresno, direct a concrete pump as it pours 300 cubic yards of concrete to create a section of wall. The crews are constructing a box that will carry trains under the highway, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. As that concrete sets, the forms will be moved to another section of the tunnel and the process repeated. Other sections of the tunnel rebar are still being tied in preparation for a concrete pour, while the final step will be to construct a lid to enclose the entire structure. The walls, floor and lid will all consist of solid concrete, five feet thick.

A little north of downtown Fresno, workers on the US 180 trench are excavating along the trench north of SR 180 which is being lowered another 10 feet to get to the “floor”, or invert, of the trench. Work has also begun on construction of the “floor” of the concrete box that will carry trains under the highway, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. Rebar crews have started to tie rebar that extends up the sides of the trench for the walls. The trench will extend approximately 1 mile in length.

A little north of downtown Fresno, workers on the State Route 180 trench are putting the finishing touches on the walls inside the undercrossing, while others excavate the area outside where the trains will start to come back to grade. Work has slowed due to the wet winter weather, but is about to begin construction on the “floor” of the concrete box that will carry trains under the highway, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. Ultimately, the trench will extend approximately 1 mile in length.

A little north of downtown Fresno, workers are nearing completion of the excavation for the high-speed rail crossing under State Route 180. As crews put the finishing touches on the walls inside the undercrossing, others excavate the area outside where the trains will come back to grade. The next step will be to construct a concrete box that will carry trains under the highway, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. Crews have reached the bottom of the trench and are fine grading the area in order to start the box construction. Ultimately, the trench will extend approximately 1 mile in length.

Workers continue excavating the crossing under State Route 180 (SR 180) outside of downtown Fresno. As they dig down five feet, they add to the retaining wall with a rebar mesh and sprayed concrete, known as shotcrete. There’s about 18 feet left to excavate before crews will construct a concrete box that will carry the trains under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. At the trench, to the north of the SR 180, additional precast struts have been set, approximately 800 feet have been partially excavated. Crews are installing temporary supports to excavate the remainder in this area of the trench. Ultimately, the trench will extend approximately one mile in length.

From above, you can see all the girders recently set over the northern section of the trench. Meanwhile, workers continue excavating the crossing under State Route 180 (SR 180) outside of downtown Fresno. As they dig down five feet, they add to the retaining wall with a rebar mesh and sprayed concrete (also known as shotcrete). Once they reach the bottom of the trench, they’ll construct a concrete box that will carry the trains under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal.

Workers have been excavating the sides of the crossing under State Route 180 (SR 180) outside of downtown Fresno, preparing for the construction of a retaining wall with a rebar mesh and sprayed concrete (also known as shotcrete). Crews have approximately 15 feet more to excavate before they reach the bottom of the trench where a concrete box will be constructed that will carry the trains under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal.

At the Fresno Trench beneath State Route 180 (SR 180), crews have approximately 20 feet more to excavate before they reach the bottom of the trench where a concrete box will be constructed that will carry the trains. Further north, an intrusion protection barrier is largely complete that will make sure high-speed and freight trains stay separated in the event of an accident. When complete, the trench will cross under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal.

At the Fresno Trench beneath State Route 180 (SR 180), the excavation and shotcrete operation is ongoing. On one side of the trench, a crew sprays shotcrete over rebar to form the trench wall, while on the other side, another worker sprays the new surface with a curing compound to help the concrete set properly. Shotcrete is a type of concrete that is typically sprayed over rebar or metal mesh to keep dirt or material in place and is often used in constructing backyard pools. Crews have approximately 30 more feet to excavate before they reach the bottom of the trench where a concrete box that will carry the trains will be constructed. When complete, the trench will cross under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal.

At the Fresno Trench beneath State Route 180 (SR 180), construction begins on multiple elements of the trench. The excavation and shotcrete operation beneath SR180 is ongoing. Crews have excavated approximately 40 feet below the top of the freeway. To the north of SR 180, craftworkers are busy constructing the intrusion barrier walls. The barrier wall will separate the high-speed rail alignment from the existing freight rail that parallels the project. The wall will be 10 feet tall, three feet thick and extend nearly 1,200 feet in this area of the project and nearly 20,000 feet project wide. When complete, the trench will cross under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal.

At the Fresno Trench, crews have broken through to the south side of State Route 180 and are excavating further underneath the highway. Excavation will continue until the trench is about 40 feet below existing ground level. When complete, the trench will cross under State Route 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. The Dry Creek Canal phase 1 construction which involved re-lining sections of the canal is wrapping up in time for the irrigation season to begin. Construction has begun for the protective barrier that separates the high-speed rail alignment from the existing freight line that parallels the project. The barrier is 10 feet tall and will extend nearly 1,200 feet in this area of the project.

At the Fresno Trench, crews have broken through to the south side of State Route 180 and are excavating further underneath the highway. When complete, the trench will cross under SR 180, a rail spur and the Dry Creek Canal. The section of the canal where the high-speed trains will cross is currently being capped. Under the highway, steel beams are in place to provide support for the trench walls, while excavation will continue until the trench is about 40 feet below ground level.