PHOTO RELEASE: Newly Constructed Overpass Opens to Traffic On Avenue 15 in Madera County

Aug 26 2020 | Madera County

The California High-Speed Rail Authority today announced the opening of a newly constructed overpass on Avenue 15 in Madera County that will allow traffic to travel over the existing BNSF railroad tracks and the future high-speed rail system. With construction activity increasing across the Central Valley, more workers are being dispatched to the project. Currently, more than 4,300 construction jobs have been created, with 3,000 of those jobs being filled by Central Valley residents.

“The opening of the Avenue 15 overpass also marks the completion of the third high-speed rail grade separation for Madera County,” said Garth Fernandez, interim Central Valley Regional Director. “This is an effort toward safety in the Central Valley and continued signs of construction progress for the high-speed rail project.”

The Avenue 15 overpass is located between State Route 99 and Road 32 and is more than 278 feet long, 42 feet wide and reaches 40 feet at its highest point.

“The completion of this overcrossing is a great step forward toward a positive working relationship with High-Speed Rail and Madera County,” said Brett Frazier, Madera County Supervisor. “We see the benefits of this and other projects in Madera County and are working closely with High-Speed Rail to collaborate and effect a mutually beneficial solution to any present and future projects.”

Several Central Valley small businesses took part in constructing the new grade separation including Becho, Inc., Landavazo Bros., Inc. Martinez Steel Corporation, Oliveira Fence, Inc., McCormick Biological, Inc., Avison Construction, Inc., Con-Fab California, Valverde Construction, Inc. and Safety Striping Service, Inc.

This project is part of Construction Package 1, the first 32-mile construction area that stretches from Avenue 19 in Madera County to East American Avenue in Fresno County. There are currently 32 active construction sites from Madera to Kern counties, with nearly 500 certified small businesses working to build the Central Valley segment.

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