Fall 2023

The Wasco Pedestrian Underpass was built to allow Wasco residents to safely access the existing Amtrak Platform located on the east side of the high-speed rail alignment. Located in the center of town at G and  Seventh Streets, the underpass is 15-feet wide and is nearly 58-feet long and has stairwells and wheelchair ramps for accessibility. The underpass was open to pedestrian traffic earlier this summer with individuals accessing the structure via the ramps built on both sides of the structure. The finishing touches on the stairwells are close to complete.

Completion of the Poso Avenue Underpass was met with much excitement, especially by the community of Wasco. Representatives from the high-speed rail Authority came together with City of Wasco and Kern County officials to celebrate the opening of the grade separation with a press conference in August. The underpass is located between State Route 43 and J Street and was designed with four lanes and pedestrian access. In addition, three bridges were built to go over the Poso Avenue Underpass including bridges to carry the BNSF railroad, vehicular traffic over Poso Avenue at J Street, and future high-speed rail lines. The grade separation is now open to traffic and pedestrians, allowing both to

The Merced Avenue Grade Separation will take east-west traffic over State Route 43, the BNSF railroad tracks and future high-speed rail lines. Construction on Merced Avenue began in 2020 and was completed and
opened to traffic in August. Merced Avenue spans 509 feet long and more than 40 feet wide. The structure is comprised of 15 pre-cast concrete girders, some of which span more than 177-feet long and weighing more than 220,000 pounds. These girders were manufactured by Confab and are some of the longest girders every produced by the company. The Merced Avenue Grade Separation is located

The McCombs Road Grade Separation was completed and opened to traffic in July. Located north of the city of Wasco in Kern County, the project realigned McCombs Road slightly north onto the newly constructed overpass and takes traffic over State Route 43, BNSF railroad tracks, and the future high-speed lines. The structure is 415 feet long and 40 feet wide. Construction on McCombs Road began in 2020.

Similar to the Conejo Viaduct in Fresno County, the Tule River Viaduct will be comprised of a viaduct and pergola structure that will take high-speed trains over the BNSF rail lines. Currently, crews are working Friday thru Sunday between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. to place the 264 pre-cast concrete girders needed for the pergola. On any typical night, crews can place between 8 and 10 girders. To date, 102 girders have been placed. Located in Tulare County, the structure will be more than 3,500 feet long.

The Authority’s largest structure continues to take shape in Kings County. Crews are more than halfway done at placing the 978 pre-cast concrete girders needed for the superstructure. On the north side of the viaduct, ironworkers, carpenters and cement masons are working together to form the deck of the structure. To date, more than 16,000 cubic-yards of concrete has been placed at the Hanford Viaduct. Further south, Lacey Boulevard has been temporarily closed, and State Route 198 has been slightly realigned toward the median to allow crews to begin extending the viaduct over the highway.

This summer, crews set the first tub girders in Construction Package 2-3 at the Conejo Viaduct. Unlike the typical California Wide Flange girders already set on the pergola section, tub girders form an enclosed tube with multiple walls and are placed between the abutments, columns and pergola. Two girders are needed on each section to have enough room for two sets of high-speed rail tracks to be set on top. In May, six pre-cast tub girders were set on the south side of the Conejo Viaduct. Another 12 will be needed for the north. All tub girders are being manufactured internally at the Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture Pre-Cast Tub Girder Facility in Kings County.

Crews can also be seen working to form the remaining edge beams on the west s Scan Me ide of the pergola section.

Central Avenue closed to traffic in October to begin construction on an overpass. At Central, crews have relocated the electric distribution lines and closed the portion of Central Avenue roadway from Cedar to Maple Avenues removing the current BNSF At-grade crossing to begin construction of the new separated grade crossing at that location. Construction will be continuous

At Ventura Street, crews continue to work on the abutment walls for the bridge that will take the Union Pacific Railroad and San Joaquin Valley Railroad over the underpass. The Ventura Street Underpass is a grade separation comprised of three bridges, including one to carry Union Pacific Railroad trains, one for high-speed rail trains, and one for traffic along traveling along G Street. Crews are also continuing

On the east side of the Tulare Street Undercrossing, crews have completed installing soil nails below the Historic Train Depot, the future location of the Fresno Station. Soil nails will help stabilize the earth below the building as crews continue work on the retaining walls. Concrete has also been placed on portions of the retaining walls on both sides of the structure. Roadwork improvements have also begun at the intersection of Tulare and H streets. Work will include reconstruction of the existing intersection to tie in with the future grade separation

The Avenue 9 overcrossing in Madera County was opened to traffic in November. The structure spans 177-feet long and more than 66 feet wide and takes traffic over the future high-speed rail tracks. Avenue 9 is the 10th structure to be completed this year.

The Avenue 17 Grade Separation is one of the latest construction sites to break ground this year. Located between Lake Street and Road 28 ½ in Madera County, crew members have been busy on the foundations and substructure on both sides of the existing +train tracks. The future grade separation will be more than 614-feet long and 43-feet wide. Once complete, the grade separation will carry traffic over the future high-speed rail lines and BNSF tracks