October 2018 Edition

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 northern end of the San Joaquin River Viaduct, workers are busy with concrete pours as the cast-in-place structure gets closer to the river. Further south, crews have begun constructing barrier walls along the sides of the pergola section of the viaduct. On the south bank of the San Joaquin River, crews are finishing up construction of the remaining support columns, while on the north bank of the river the final pier cap has been poured. The completed viaduct will form one of the largest structures on this first phase of the high-speed rail project.

At the northern end of Construction Package 1, large concrete girders are being set for the overcrossing at Road 27 in Madera County. The first two girders were placed across the railroad tracks during a night time closure in late August, while the second two girders are currently scheduled to be set in late September. A total of 28 girders will create the foundation for the crossing superstructure, with the deck tentatively scheduled to be poured early next year. Following utility relocation, embankment work can also begin. Ultimately, the bridge will be nearly 700 feet with frontage roads providing access along the sides to local homes.

At Avenue 15, just east of Road 29 in Madera County, the piers for a supporting bent structure have been poured, rebar for the west abutment is in place, and fill dirt has been trucked in for the westside embankment. The Authority is currently coordinating with BNSF for a permit to work over the railroad tracks.

The Avenue 12 overcrossing over the BNSF freight tracks has its girders in place, and workers are building a retaining wall adjacent to the structure. The overcrossing, just east of Madera Community College in Madera County, will include one structure that will take traffic over the high-speed train alignment and a separate structure further east that will cross the freight tracks.

The concrete bridge deck for the Avenue 11 overcrossing has been poured and wing walls constructed along the sides that will tie the structure in with the embankment. Crews are currently constructing barrier walls along the sides of the deck and finishing wing walls which extend off the bridge. This crossing, east of Road 30 ½, will take traffic over the high-speed rail alignment in Madera County.

At Avenue 8 in Madera County, crews construct wing walls for the single span bridge east of State Route 99. Approximately 35,000 lbs. of deck rebar is being tied on the bridge deck. The bridge deck is currently scheduled to be poured in early October. The block retaining walls have been completed on either side of the abutments and fill dirt placed to finish the slope leading up to the bridge.

At the overcrossing for Kansas Avenue, west of State Route 43, carpenters construct the concrete forms for the abutments, preparing for a concrete pour at the end of the month. Meanwhile, a mile to the north at Kent Avenue (right), utility relocation continues and concrete is poured for that overcrossing’s abutments.