Construction of California High-Speed Rail
The construction of the California High-Speed Rail system is an undertaking by the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The project is expected to span about and will be completed in two phases: Phase 1 (totaling about ) runs from the metropolitan area of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California to the metropolitan area of Greater Los Angeles in southern California. It has been under construction in the San Joaquin Valley since 2015, and in "bookend" investments in the two metropolitan areas, and will take an as-yet unknown number of years to complete. Phase 2 extends the system north to Sacramento, and south through the Inland Empire to San Diego. Funding for all of the Phase 1 construction has not been secured yet, and Phase 2 is only in the preliminary planning stage. Due to financial constraints, the Authority is implementing an Interim Initial Operating Segment (IOS) in the San Joaquin Valley (improving on existing Amtrak service). This will be a financially self-sustaining system. The next goal of the Authority is to extend the system west and north to San Francisco. Current construction status In the Central Valley major construction projects are underway. Three separate construction packages total 119 miles of guideway and 93 structures. As of May 2023, 50 miles of guideway are complete, and 40 are underway; 42 structures are complete, and 28 are underway. Construction Package 1 (CP 1) comprises from Avenue 17 north of Madera to East American Avenue south of Fresno. It includes 12 grade separations, two viaducts, one tunnel, a major river crossing over the San Joaquin River, and the realignment of State Route 99. The contractor is the joint venture of Tutor-Perini/Zachry/Parsons. The design-build contract was signed August 16, 2013. As of July 2023, construction is forecast for completion by the end of 2025. Construction Package 2-3 (CP 2-3) comprises from East American Avenue south of Fresno to north of the Tulare / Kern County border. It includes approximately 36 grade separations, viaducts, underpasses, and overpasses. The contractor is the joint venture of Dragados USA/Flatiron Construction. The design-build contract was signed June 10, 2015. As of July 2023, construction is forecast for completion by March 2026. Construction Package 4 (CP 4) comprises adjoining the end of CP 2-3 to the intersection of Poplar / Madera Avenue northwest of Shafter. It includes at-grade embankments, retained-fill over-crossings, viaducts, aerial sections of the high-speed rail alignment, and the relocation of four miles of existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) tracks. The contractor is California Rail Builders, a joint venture of Ferrovial-Agroman West, LLC and Griffith Company. The design-build contract was signed February 29, 2016. As of July 2023, construction is forecast for completion by August 2023. Per the 2023 Project Status Report (released Mar. 1, 2023): CP1 Seven of eight major commercial issues noted in 2022 Business Plan have resolved, and only Church Avenue remains. CP2-3 Three of four major commercial issues noted in 2022 Business Plan have been resolved, and the last one (Cross Creek)