Hanford Armona Grade Separation

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) announced on August 21, 2025, the completion of the Avenue 88 Grade Separation. Avenue 88 is the 57th structure to be completed in the Central Valley, the seventh structure to be opened to traffic this year and the second structure to be completed in Tulare County.

With all the pre-cast girders placed at the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct, crews are now working on various portions of the deck including setting metal pan decking, placing rebar and pouring concrete for the deck which consists of longitudinal and topping slabs. Concurrently, crews are now working on pouring shear transfer device diaphragms, which are act as sets of metal arms connecting girders to one another to help transfer and distribute forces of the train.

On the north approach of the structure, crews are forming the tub girder diaphragms, the portion of the structure that helps connect tub girders to each other at the bent caps, as well as connecting and sealing each adjacent tub girder to each other. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct and Pergola will span more than 3,573 feet long and will take high-speed trains over Tule River and the BNSF railroad tracks.

At the Kings River Bridge in Kings County, crews are continuing work on the diaphragms for the abutments and bents of the structure. Deck panels that were manufactured at the DFJV Pre-Cast Facility have been set along three spans with the fourth to be set in the coming weeks. When complete, the Kings River Bridge will span more than 445-feet long, more than 40 feet wide, and will take high-speed trains over the waterway.

The arches at the Tied Arch Bridge in Fresno County continue to take shape. The construction team recently completed the installation of all 44 hanger guide pipes, which are designed to house the tension rods that help support the structure. Falsework has also been erected to help ironworkers tie rebar for the future arches that will span over State Route 43. When complete, The Tied Arch Bridge will span 249 feet long and will take high-speed trains over State Route 43.

Crews are continuing working on the abutments and foundational work at the Manning Avenue Grade Separation in Fresno County. More than 412 cubic yards of concrete have been placed to form the abutment on the west side of the grade separation. The formwork should be removed in May. Crews are also working on the foundational work at the bents of the structure. When complete, the Manning Avenue Grade Separation will span 342-feet long and will take traffic over the BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks.

At Nebraska Avenue in Fresno County, crews have finished hauling embankment for the approaches on the east and west side of the structure. The approaches are now currently in settlement. On the east side, the mechanically stabilized earth wall is also built and complete. Crews have also began substructure work on the bents of the structure. The Nebraska Avenue Grade Separation is the longest grade separation to be built in Construction Package 2-3 spanning at 785 feet long. When complete, traffic will be able to travel over the BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks safely.

Progress continues at the Church Avenue Grade Separation in the City of Fresno. Crews recently removed the formwork on abutment one, west of the high-speed rail corridor. Crews also placed more than 1,070 cubic-yards of concrete at abutment three, located on the east side of the high-speed rail corridor and existing Union Pacific tracks. Crews will continue foundational work including cast-in-drilled-hole (CIDH) pile installation in the coming weeks. When complete, the Church Avenue Grade Separation will consist of two structures. One structure will take traffic over the future high-speed rail and Union Pacific tracks and will span 340-feet long and 84.5-feet wide.

At the Cesar Chavez Underpass (formerly known as the Ventura Street Underpass), crews continue to work on the construction of the Cesar Chavez Boulevard and H Street intersection by installing the streetlight infrastructure for the underpass. Shoring and pile drilling is currently in progress to allow for the completion of the Union Pacific bridge and high-speed rail bridge, which will take trains over the underpass. When complete, the underpass will serve as a grade separation and will eliminate the previous Union Pacific at-grade railroad crossing, allowing traffic to travel underneath the existing railroad and future high-speed rail tracks.

Near downtown Fresno, the Tulare Street Underpass continues to take shape. Crews have tied rebar and poured concrete to form the remaining retaining walls of the underpass. Mass excavation for the underpass has been completed, clearing the remaining soil necessary for the roadway construction that will connect downtown Fresno with Chinatown. Recently, all 14 girders needed for the second bridge were also placed over the underpass, which will allow high-speed trains to cross over the roadway.  Crews are now working on the gravity walls, sidewalks, and streetlights for the underpass. The Tulare Street Underpass is expected to be completed and open to traffic this summer.

At Avenue 17 in Madera County, crews are continuing to work on the superstructure of the future overpass. Recently, workers completed the rebar and concrete placement for the deck of the structure. The east and west approaches are also taking shape as crews continue to backfill and place MSE wall panels. The four-span structure will serve as a new roadway for Madera County taking vehicular traffic and pedestrians over the future high-speed rail and existing BNSF railroad tracks. The structure will be 614-feet long and more than 43-feet wide when complete.

In Madera County, the Road 26 Grade Separation continues to make progress. All 49 pre-cast concrete girders have been placed for the superstructure. Crews continue to tie rebar and pour concrete for the structure’s intermediate diaphragms. Workers are also placing panels and backfilling for the MSE wall along the north approach and backfilling and compacting the embankment for the south approach of the overpass. When completed, the future structure will be a three-way lane roadway and span 636-feet long and 68-feet wide, improving safety in the area for traffic and pedestrians by taking them over the existing BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks.

Only 112 of the 978 pre-cast concrete girders remain for the build out of the Hanford Viaduct. This month, crews will begin placing the remaining girders that will span over the San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Crews are also placing concrete to form the parapet and derailment walls at the southern end of the structure that spans over State Route 198. More than 40,300 cubic-yards of concrete have been placed to date at the Hanford Viaduct. When complete, the Hanford Viaduct will span 6333-feet long and will take high-speed trains over the highway or to the Kings/Tulare Regional Station.

Construction is nearly completed at the Central Avenue Grade Separation in Fresno County.  Recently, crews striped the roadway and recently installed light poles and handrails. With final touches underway, the grade separation will open to traffic this spring. When complete, it will span 432-feet in length, more than 40-feet wide, and will take traffic and pedestrians over the high-speed rail and BNSF railroad tracks safely.

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

All 264 pre-cast girders needed for the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct have been installed. Crews are now working on the formwork for the upper edge beams of the structure, the portion of the structure that provides support and ties the pre-cast concrete girders together. Tub girders will be placed next on the northern and south approaches of the structure, near Avenue 144 to the north and Tule River to the south. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct will be 3,573 feet long, taking high-speed trains over SR 43, the BNSF train tracks, and the Tule River.

To date, 740 pre-cast concrete girders have been installed to form the superstructure of the Hanford Viaduct. Between Grangeville and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, crews will begin to work on the parapet walls later this spring. Further south on Lacey Boulevard, crews are working on the columns needed to extend the viaduct over the highway. Earlier this spring, crews were seen placing concrete to form columns in the median of the highway. In the coming weeks, crews will work at night to place the first pre-cast concrete girders over the highway. The Hanford Viaduct is the largest high-speed rail structure currently underway spanning 6,330 feet long.

Construction at the Whitley Avenue Underpass is underway near the city of Corcoran. The underpass is located between SR 43 and Fourth Avenue, also known as SR 137. Excavation efforts are completed and
41,000 cubic yards of dirt was relocated and imported to the future Curved Bridge construction site. Substructure work has commenced and the structure is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year.

Crews are working on the substructure of the Deer Creek Viaduct in Tulare County. To date, crews have completed 33 of the 43 columns needed for the substructure. The Deer Creek Viaduct will span approximately 3,000-feet long and will take high-speed rail over the water way.

The Flint Avenue overcrossing in Kings County is nearly complete. Crews are working on paving and striping the structure ahead of opening the bridge and roadway to traffic. Flint Avenue is expected to open to traffic later this spring. When complete, the overcrossing will span 205 feet long and more than 40-feet wide.

Another 16 girders were placed for the grade separation at Mountain View Avenue. Similar to Floral Avenue, concrete has been placed for the diaphragms, and crews are now working on the deck of the structure. Crews will also place concrete for the bridge deck at Mountain View in the coming weeks.

Take a drive down State Route 43 and you will see that the Tied Arch Bridge is now extended over the highway. In March, all 28 girders were placed for the superstructure that will take high-speed rail over the highway. The Tied Arch Bridge will span 249-feet long and will take high-speed trains up and over the highway.

Work is progressing at two neighboring Fresno County high-speed rail grade separations in Construction Package 2-3. In March, all 16 pre-cast concrete girders were placed at the Floral Avenue Grade Separation in Fresno County. Manufactured by Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture, girders range from 60-130 feet long and weigh as much as 140,000 lbs. Crews have also completed the diaphragms – the components of the bridge that braces the girders together – and placed all concrete deck panels. Crews are now tying rebar for the deck of the bridge and will place concrete for the bridge deck in the coming weeks.

The Conejo Viaduct in Fresno County continues to take shape. All tub girders on the north and south sides of the viaduct sections have been placed, all pre-cast and transported to the construction site by contractor Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture. Across the pergola section, crews are installing stay-in-place metal decking formwork for concrete to be placed for the deck, the section high-speed trains will travel in the future. To date, more than 500 cubic yards of concrete have been placed on the deck of the pergola. More concrete will be placed throughout the spring and summer.

Crews have been hard at work the last few months at Central Avenue in Fresno County. Rebar and concrete have been placed to form the abutment wall on the west side of the structure. The columns are formed at each of the bents and crews are now working to tie rebar to form the bent caps. PG&E utility relocation in the area was also completed in March, which will allow crews to begin building embankment walls and the embankments of the structure. When completed, the Central Avenue Grade Separation will be 432-feet long, more than 40-feet wide and will take traffic over the high-speed rail and BNSF tracks.

There are multiple utility relocations ongoing near the Church Avenue Grade Separation, including the installation of new sewer lines being installed under the BNSF railroad tracks. Crews are also working with Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District to complete its largest jack and bore – a method of horizontal boring for utility construction – under the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks. Majority of the utility work is expected to be  completed this fall, and substructure work will begin shortly after. When complete, the Church Avenue Grade Separation will take traffic over the existing Union Pacific and BNSF train tracks, along with the future high-speed rail tracks.

This April, crews are working overnight to place 14 of the 28 pre-cast concrete girders needed for the superstructure of the Belmont Avenue Grade Separation. These girders range from 148 to 158-feet long, are nearly 6-feet tall, and can weigh as much as 185,000 lbs. each. Crews have completed the foundation for the abutment on the east side of the structure and are currently installing rebar and forming the abutment wall.

At Avenue 17 in Madera County, crews have placed concrete for both abutments and the seven columns needed for the substructure of the future overpass. Crews are now completing the bent caps, the portion on top of the columns that girders will be placed on in the near future. When completed, Avenue 17 will become a thru road taking traffic over the BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks. The overcrossing will span 614-feet long when completed.

Several public meetings have been held in Madera County to inform the community of construction of a grade separation on Road 26. When completed, the future structure will be a three-lane roadway and span 636-feet long, improving safety in the area for motorists and pedestrians by taking them over the existing BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks. All utility relocations, including Comcast and PG&E have been completed. Temporary signals along the detour route in the area have also been installed for traffic flow.

The Cedar Viaduct, the southern gateway into the Central Valley is now complete. Stretching over State Route 99 and taking future high-speed trains over the highway along with Cedar and North Avenues, the signature double span of arches can be seen from both sides of the highway. Construction on the Cedar Viaduct began in 2016. More than 8.6 million pounds of steel rebar and more than 37,000 cubic-yards of concrete were used to complete this signature structure. The Cedar Viaduct spans more than 3,700 feet long and more than 40 feet wide.

Crews are now working on the east side of the Tulare Street Underpass. Crews have removed utilities in the area and continue to excavate dirt and install shoring – supports that help prevent the movement of soil – for the construction of the future underpass and new bridge for the Union Pacific railroad. Bridgework will begin in the coming months. In addition, and just slightly south, a new cul-de-sac was completed on Kern Street near Chuckchansi Park stadium parking, just in time for the Fresno Grizzlies baseball season.

On Ventura Street, more utilities are being moved and shoring is being stalled to make way for the underpass. Crews are continuing to work on the retaining walls west of the Union Pacific tracks.  Earlier this year, crews hit a milestone by completing the G Street Bridge that spans over the Ventura Street Underpass which is now open to traffic.

At the Belmont Avenue Grade Separation, crews recently completed the abutment wall on the west side of the overpass. Abutment walls are part of the substructure of a bridge, including overpasses, and provide vertical and lateral support from the superstructure to the foundation. These walls also act as retaining walls by retaining embankment that will be placed in the future. Crews have also completed a few columns and are now working on the bent cap. A bent cap is an intermediate support that sits on top of a group of piles to help disperse lateral and vertical loads. The bent cap supports the girders and transfers loads to the bent columns. To the east, crews are working on several utility relocations including relocating PG&E, water and storm drains.

Construction crews are making headway at a number of high-speed rail grade separations in Fresno and Kings Counties – some of which are nearly completed. Both Dover Avenue and Idaho Avenue grade separations in Kings County are paved and ready to be striped and opened to traffic.

In Fresno County, the Elkhorn Avenue Grade Separation is paved and ready to be striped and open for future traffic.

At Davis Avenue, crews recently post-tensioned the bridge and are now working on the backwalls. Ironworkers have tied rebar and crews have recently placed concrete to form the barrier rails on top of the structure. The roadway will be paved in the coming weeks.

To date, 284 of the 978 pre-cast concrete girders have been placed on the Hanford Viaduct. Ironworkers are working each day to tie rebar for the deck and parapet walls of the structure. Over the last few months, workers have placed concrete for the diaphragms of the structure, which bring the girders set between each span of columns together.

Earlier this year, the last two of the 248 pre-cast concrete girders were placed for the pergola section of the Conejo Viaduct. Ironworkers and carpenters are now working on the upper edge beams of the structure, the portion of the structure that provides support and ties the pre-cast concrete girders together. To date, more than 9,000 cubic-yards of concrete have been placed to form the edge beams for the structure, with another 1,400 cubic-yards still needing to be placed.

Driving along State Route (SR) 43, you can see more than 150,000 cubic yards of embankment fill that has been placed to form the guideway on both sides of the Tied Arch Bridge. The guideway is where future high-speed trains will travel before it crosses over the highway and traffic, between Fresno and Kings counties. The Tied Arch Bridge spans 249-feet long and 52-feet wide.

At the McCombs Road Grade Separation, crews are working to realign and tie in the existing McCombs Road slightly north onto the future overpass. Crews have removed portions of the old road and are hauling aggregate to connect the roadway to the completed structure. The roadway will then be paved, striped and opened to traffic later this spring.

The Peterson Road Bridge is now complete. This elevated structure will take high-speed trains over the existing roadways in Kern County. The Peterson Road Bridge is 153 feet long and 52 feet wide built to accommodate two sets of high-speed rail tracks.

The Pond Road Viaduct is now complete. With the civil work complete, crews will now be tasked to haul embankment and connect the structures to the high-speed rail alignment. The Pond Road Bridge is 121-feet long.

Currently, crews are placing the final touches on the Wasco Viaduct. Along the pergola section, crews have worked to complete the parapets – or derailment walls – of the structure. More than 240,000 pounds of steel and 800 cubic yards of concrete were installed in the last few months. Crews also completed the installation of the expansion joints of the structure. Expansion joints are separations between two sections that allow for temperature-induced expansion or contraction without cracking or damaging the structure. The Wasco Viaduct is more than 2,000 feet long and carries trains through Kern County and over the BNSF freight tracks.

In August, crews began placing pre-cast concrete girders for the superstructure of the Hanford Viaduct. Each wide flange girder ranges in size between 53 to 74-feet long and weighs between 60,000 to 90,000 pounds. As many as 14 girders will be placed between each span of columns, and more than 900 girders will be needed all together. As of Oct. 1, 2022, more than 130 girders have been placed across 15 spans of columns.

Ironworkers are working hard tying rebar across the Wasco Viaduct. Crews are tying rebar to form the deck on the northern and southern portions of the pergola. Concrete has also been placed to form the edge beams of the Wasco Viaduct where girders were installed. More than 1,500 cubic yards of concrete were placed to form the two remaining edge beams and more than 1,400 cubic yards will be needed for the two remaining decks of the structure.

In Tulare County, crews continue to erect falsework across the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct. North of the structure, ironworkers have begun tying rebar for the lower edge beams of the pergola section. The Tule River Viaduct is located south of Avenue 144 / Poplar Avenue and State Route 43, to the south of the Tule River. When complete, the structure will be more than 3,573 feet long.

On Oct. 12, 2022, the Kent Avenue Grade Separation was opened to traffic in Kings County. The Kent Avenue Grade Separation is located west of State Route 43 and south of Hanford. The overcrossing is 215 feet long, 35-feet wide, and takes traffic over the future high-speed rail tracks. To complete the structure, 12 pre-cast concrete girders spanning 56 feet to 91- feet long were placed to form the deck of the structure.

On Sept. 15, 2022, the Jackson Avenue Grade Separation was opened to traffic in Kings County. This is the first structure to be completed in Kings County. The new overcrossing is located between State Route 43 and Seventh Avenue, south of the city of Hanford. It is 212-feet long, 32-feet wide and takes traffic over the future high-speed rail tracks.

In August, crews began placing pre-cast concrete girders for the superstructure of the Hanford Viaduct. Each wide flange girder ranges in size between 53 to 74-feet long and weighs between 60,000 to 90,000 pounds. As many as 14 girders will be placed between each span of columns, and more than 900 girders will be needed all together. As of Oct. 1, 2022, more than 130 girders have been placed across 15 spans of columns.

Throughout the spring and summer, crews have placed 246 of the needed 248 pre-cast concrete girders for the pergola section of the Conejo Viaduct. To the south of the pergola, crews have tied rebar and placed concrete to form portions of an intrusion protection barrier – or IPB wall – that will allow high-speed trains to travel safely in the proximity of the BNSF railroad tracks.

More than 12,000 cubic yards of concrete have been placed to date to form the IPB wall that spans more than 3,400 feet wide, 40 feet tall, and up to five feet thick. When complete, it will help provide added safety between the high-speed rail and freight rail lines.

Over the summer, the arch cables between the double arches of the Cedar Viaduct were stressed. Shortly after, crews worked overnight to remove the falsework from underneath the structure that spans over State Route 99. Additional concrete will be placed to shape the parapet walls on top of the structure.

Progress continues at the Tulare Street Underpass between downtown Fresno and Fresno’s Chinatown. The G Street bridge is nearly completed. Post-tensioning of the bridge has been completed, falsework has been removed, and the concrete to form the barrier and sidewalk has been placed. Crews are now putting the finishing touches, including paving and installing streetlights, on the bridge for traffic. The G Street bridge should be open to the public soon. When complete, the Tulare Street Underpass will be 22 feet below grade and will include pedestrian access.

The Belmont Avenue Grade Separation is the newest construction site in Construction Package 1. Community meetings in English and Spanish were held over the summer to inform the public and key stakeholders regarding the latest structure. Work has kicked off on the west side of the Union Pacific tracks and utility relocations continue on the east side.

The Avenue 15 1/2 Grade Separation is the latest structure to be opened to traffic in Construction Package 1. The overpass structure is located at Road 29 / Santa Fe Drive, east of the city of Madera. It took 16 pre-cast girders and nearly 120 pre-cast concrete deck panels to complete the structure. The structure spans 468 feet long and 40 feet wide and takes traffic over the existing BNSF rail and future high-speed rail lines.

At our most southern portion of Construction Package 4, crews have installed all 15 girders needed for the superstructure of the Merced Avenue Grade Separation. Each girder spans more than 177 feet long and weighs more than 220,000 lbs. The girders were manufactured by Confab out of their Lathrop Plant and are some of the longest girders the company has ever done in California. Confab has also provided pre-cast concrete girders for other high-speed rail structures including the San Joaquin River Viaduct and Pergola in Construction Package 1. When complete, the Merced Avenue Grade Separation will be more than 509 feet long, 43 feet wide, and will take traffic over SR 43, BNSF, and future high-speed rail lines.

This spring, the last four of 120 pre-cast concrete girders were placed to form the pergola section of the Wasco Viaduct. Ironworkers can be seen tying rebar to form the edge beams bringing the pergola section together. To the south, ironworkers can also be seen tying rebar for the deck and parapet on top of the pergola. The Wasco Viaduct will take high-speed trains over the existing BNSF freight tracks and will be nearly 2,000 feet long when complete.

On July 7, 12 pre-cast concrete girders needed for superstructure were installed over State Route 46, parallel to the BNSF tracks. Ironworkers will continue to tie rebar on the diaphragms of the structure in the coming weeks.

The top of the McCombs Road Grade Separation is continuing to take shape. All 360 pre-cast concrete deck panels have been installed and crews are now making way for the installation of rebar for the deck and barrier reinforcement. When complete, the McCombs Road Grade Separation will be 415 feet long and will take traffic over, State Route 43, existing BNSF rail lines, and future high-speed rail lines.

At the Hanford Viaduct near Grangeville Boulevard, carpenters are working to erect falsework for the construction of the superstructure. More than 900 pre-cast concrete girders will be needed for the superstructure, all of which will be fabricated at the Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture Pre-Cast Girder Facility just steps away from the structure. The first girders will be set for the superstructure later this summer.

Crews continue superstructure work on the Elkhorn Avenue Grade Separation. Crews have formed and placed concrete for the diaphragms of the structure, the portion of the bridge that helps support the load of the bridge deck between the abutments and set girders. 114 deck panels have been installed there. Ironworkers are now installing rebar for the deck of the structure at Elkhorn Avenue.

Crews continue superstructure work on the Fowler Avenue Grade Separation. Crews have formed and placed concrete for the diaphragms of the structure, the portion of the bridge that helps support the load of the bridge deck between the abutments and set girders. 114 deck panels will be installed at Fowler Avenue. Ironworkers will install rebar for the deck of the structure at Fowler Avenue in the coming weeks.

As of June 2022, crews have installed 156 of the needed 248 girders to form the pergola section of the Conejo Viaduct. Each girder spans nearly 124 feet long and weighs more than 159,000 lbs. To the south, crews have begun working on an intrusion protection barrier (IPB) wall between the Conejo Viaduct and the Peach Avenue structure. Crews have placed concrete to form the foundation, also known as the footings of the IPB wall and crews are now tying rebar for the wall and placing concrete for the wall itself. The wall will help improve safety when in operation, separate the high-speed rail alignment from the BNSF rail lines, and will help mitigate potential hazards.

The Adams Avenue Grade Separation is nearly complete. This spring, crews completed the deck of the structure and concrete barrier rail. Crews have begun grading embankments and will begin placing base coarse and paving the roadway in the coming weeks. When complete, the Adams Avenue Grade Separation will span 357 feet long, 40 feet wide and will take traffic over BNSF and future high-speed rail lines.

Concrete has cured and falsework has been stripped on all four of the concrete arches at the Cedar Viaduct in south Fresno. Arch cables have been installed between the arches and will be stressed in the coming weeks. The arch cables help support the load of the deck adding to the stability of the viaduct. Ironworkers have also tied rebar and will begin placing concrete for remaining portions of the parapet on top of the structure.

Between downtown and Fresno’s Chinatown, progress continues on the Tulare Street Underpass. The G Street bridge is nearly completed. Post-tensioning of the bridge has been completed, falsework has been removed, and the concrete to form the barrier and sidewalk has been placed. Crews are now putting the finishing touches, including paving and installing streetlights on the bridge for traffic. The G Street Bridge should be open to the public soon.

Superstructure work continues at the Avenue 15 ½ Grade Separation in Madera. In April, all 16 girders were placed and in May, crews set more than 117 deck panels for the top of the structure. Ironworkers continue to tie deck reinforcement and crews continue to place deck concrete. When complete, the Avenue 15 ½ Grade Separation will span 468-feet long, 40-feet wide and will take traffic over BNSF and future high-speed rail lines.

At the Avenue 15 ½ Grade Separation, crews have completed construction of the substructure including columns and bent caps. Concrete has been placed at the east abutment and crews are now forming the west abutment. Girders will be set for the superstructure later this Spring. When complete, the Avenue 15 ½ Grade Separation will be 468-feet long, and 40-feet wide and will take trains over BNSF and future high-speed rail lines.

Between downtown and Fresno’s Chinatown, progress continues on the Tulare Street underpass. Both tracks of the Union Pacific railroad have been cutover to the shoofly, a temporary track built for the construction of the grade separation. Also, the west approach retaining walls and excavation under G Street is now complete. Crews have also installed the falsework for the G Street Bridge, placed concrete to form the bridge deck, and are now preparing to begin post-tensioning the ducts inside the bridge deck.

The arches at the Cedar Viaduct continue to take shape. To date, crews have placed more than 225 cubic-yards of concrete to form three of the four arches that span over State Route 99. Concrete to form the fourth and final arch will be placed later this spring. To the south of the Cedar Viaduct, embankment continues to be hauled and mechanically-stabilized earth (MSE) walls continue to go up bringing the Cedar Viaduct and structure at Muscat Avenue together.

At Adams Avenue in Fresno County, crews recently installed 16 concrete pre-cast girders to form the superstructure of the Adams Avenue Grade Separation. Now, crews are gearing up to set pre-cast concrete panels to form the deck of the structure while ironworkers tie rebar for the diaphragms, the supporting portion of a bridge that goes between each girder to help prevent girders from rotating and to help distribute vertical load distribution.

South Avenue is open to traffic! Last month, the Authority in collaboration with design-build contractor Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture (DFJV), announced the completion of the South Avenue Grade Separation. Located between Cedar and Maple Avenues, the newly constructed overpass allows traffic to travel over the existing BNSF Railway and future high-speed rail lines. It is one of 36 grade separations being built in Construction Package 2-3 to improve safety along the high-speed rail alignment. The South Avenue Grade Separation spans nearly 390 feet and is 40 feet wide.

Crews are working late nights and on weekends to install 248 pre-cast concrete girders needed for the pergola section of the Conejo Viaduct. As of March 1, crews have installed 33 girders that span nearly 124-feet long and weigh more than 150,000 lbs. each.

This Spring, 12 pre-cast concrete girders will be placed to form the superstructure of the Dover Avenue Overcrossing which will take traffic over the future high-speed rail lines. These girders will range from 62-feet to 91-feet long and weigh as much as 89,000 lbs. When complete, the overcrossing will be 227-feet long and more than 43-feet wide.

In Tulare County, crews have completed more than 100 Cast-in-Drilled-Holes to provide the foundation of the Tule River Viaduct. CIDH piles can be as large as 11-feet in diameter and are drilled up to 200-feet deep. Across the structure, crews are installing rebar and placing concrete to form the footings and future columns. As of Spring 2022, 32 of the 75 columns of needed for the Tule River Viaduct are now complete. Crews will be gearing up to install the falsework necessary to form the pergola section of the structure later this spring.

In Construction Package 4, the year kicked off with crews completing the installation of 15 pre-cast girders to form the superstructure of the McCombs Road Grade Separation. Work was completed over the four nights. Crews are now working on other superstructure elements and are preparing to place concrete for the abutment diaphragms. When the abutment diaphragms are formed, crews will begin installing 360 pre-cast concrete deck panels on top of the superstructure. When complete, the McCombs Road Grade Separation will be 415-feet long and will take traffic over, State Route 43, existing BNSF rail lines, and future high-speed rail lines.

Throughout January and February, carpenters and ironworkers continued working on the remaining edge girder sections of the Wasco Viaduct. Crews are now performing post-tensioning activities to reinforce the concrete before the last four girders are installed on the south side of the pergola structure. The viaducts on the north and south side of the structure are expected to be complete this spring. When complete, the Wasco Viaduct will be nearly 2,000 feet long.

The Peterson Road Bridge is nearly complete. Final touches are being put on the structure and crews will commence with constructing the embankments on the north and south sides of the bridge. In the coming weeks, Peterson Road will be striped and opened for traffic. The Peterson Road Bridge will take high-speed trains over traffic and will be more than 153-feet long and 52-feet wide.

In March, crews completed the lower deck of the Kimberlina Viaduct by placing 560 cubic-yards of concrete in the span of seven hours. Crews will start working on the stem walls by continuing to tie rebar and placing concrete throughout the spring. When complete, the Kimberlina Viaduct will be 110-feet long and will take high-speed trains over traffic.

Crews celebrated the completion of the Road 27 overcrossing in Madera County late this summer. The grade separation is located between Avenue 17 and Club Drive north of the City of Madera, and is one of nine grade separations in Madera County built to take traffic over the existing BNSF rail and future high-speed rail lines. The completed structure spans 636 feet long in length and more than 43 feet wide, complete with pedestrian access.

On the west side of the Union Pacific tracks near Fresno’s Chinatown, the abutment walls are up for the bridge that will cross over the Tulare Street underpass along G Street. Crews are also working on three retaining walls and a pump station that will help with drainage of water that may accumulate along the underpass. When complete, the Tulare Street Underpass will be 22 feet below grade and will include pedestrian access.

Drive on State Route 99 through the City of Fresno and you can see the dual-span of arches beginning to take shape at the Cedar Viaduct. Crews can be seen building the falsework on both sides of the structure. Soon, ironworkers will begin to tie rebar for the arches. Each arch will be nearly 179 feet long and nearly 40 feet tall.

At Adams Avenue in Fresno County, crews continue to work on the substructure for the future grade separation. Crews are nearly complete with the five concrete footings, two abutment walls and columns needed for the substructure. Superstructure work for the bridge will begin in 2022. When complete, the Adams Avenue Grade Separation will be 357 feet long, more than 40 feet wide and will take traffic over the BNSF and future high-speed rail lines.

At the Conejo Viaduct, crews continue to work on the edge beams of the pergola structure. To the south of the future pergola, the forms have already been stripped for the edge beams. Traveling north, crews continue to place concrete to form the edge beams. More than 1,000 cubic yards have been placed to date.

At the Tule River Viaduct south of the City of Corcoran, crews continue to excavate the bents by drilling cast-in-drilled holes (CIDH) for the foundation of the structure. You can see crews have already begun forming, installing rebar, and placing concrete for the columns on both sides of the BNSF rail line. Like other structures in Construction Package 2-3, the Tule River Viaduct will be a combination viaduct and pergola structure. More than 75 columns will need to be drilled and installed to carry high-speed trains over the existing BNSF rail line, State Route 43, and the Tule River. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct will be more than 3,573 feet long.

In September and October, crews worked late nights and weekends to place 40 girders to continue to form the pergola section of the Wasco Viaduct. Girders weighed in at more than 157,700 lbs. each with the longest girder spanning more than 135-feet long. More girders will be placed early next year. The pergola section of the Wasco Viaduct will allow high-speed trains to cross over the BNSF tracks.

Just south of the Wasco Viaduct, the Kimberlina Viaduct continues to take shape. Ironworkers are beginning to tie rebar for the deck of the structure. Concrete for the abutments and wingwalls have already been placed and concrete for the lower deck will be poured in the coming months.

At Peterson, concrete for the stem walls has been placed. Currently, crews are installing post-tensioning strands which reinforces the concrete. Crews will begin pre-stressing the bridge deck in the coming weeks. When complete, the structure will be more than 153-feet long, 52-feet wide and will take high-speed trains over Peterson Road.

Work continues at the Road 27 Grade Separation in Madera County. On the north side of the structure, crews hauled more than 100,000 cubic yards of dirt to form the slope of the structure. At the most northern abutment, crews are working on joint sealing the abutment with concrete. Crews will then begin to pave the road with asphalt later this summer. When complete, the Road 27 Grade Separation will be 636-feet long, 43-feet wide and will take traffic and pedestrians over the existing BNSF and future high-speed rail lines.

At the Cedar Viaduct in Fresno County, crews are installing the metal pan decking across the superstructure spanning over State Route 99. To the south, crews are working on tying rebar and removing forms for the parapet – or safety barrier – on top of the structure. When complete, the Cedar Viaduct will span nearly 3,700 feet long and will carry high-speed trains over State Route 99, North Avenue, Cedar Avenue, and Golden State Boulevard.

At the Conejo Viaduct in Fresno County, crews are installing falsework for the edge beams of the superstructure, the portion of the structure that will carry high-speed trains over the BNSF tracks. To the south, ironworkers can be seen tying rebar for the lower edge beams where falsework has been installed. Ironworkers will continue to move north as falsework is installed.