NEWS RELEASE: California’s High-Speed Rail Program Celebrates Progress and Highlights Next Steps Towards Operations

January 6, 2025

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The nation’s first true high-speed rail project reached a pivotal milestone as Governor Gavin Newsom joined community leaders and construction workers to officially kick off the next phase of the California High-Speed Rail project and the first steps in preparing for track and systems construction.

KERN COUNTY, Calif. – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom, California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) CEO Ian Choudri and community leaders, officially kicked off the Authority’s Railhead Project in Kern County commemorating the first steps in the track and systems construction process. This work is made possible due to the substantial completion of Construction Package 4 (CP 4), the southernmost segment of high-speed rail construction in California’s Central Valley.

In an effort to deliver a southwest regional high-speed rail network, the Authority, Brightline West and the High-Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency have been working closely, ensuring coordination of technical and operational significance to ultimately enable an interoperable system that connects riders to and from Las Vegas to California’s high-speed rail system in Southern California.

About the Railhead Project

Construction of the railhead is a major step in the track and systems process and signifies the next phase of the high-speed rail program bringing it closer to operations. The Railhead Project is necessary for the Authority to receive materials to start construction of temporary freight tracks, which includes delivery of major equipment such as track laying machines, track ties, traction power and Overhead Contact Systems (OCS). The work starts with a period of subgrade preparation, readying the site for the eventual laying of ballast ties and rail for the yard, effectively serving as a location to receive materials required to build the Authority’s high-speed rail track. The Authority will be issuing a Request for Proposals to procure a contract for Track and OCS construction in 2025.

About Construction Package 4

Construction Package 4 (CP 4) is a 22-mile stretch of the high-speed rail project between Poplar Avenue in Wasco and approximately one mile south of the Tulare/Kern County line. The Authority contracted with California Rail Builders to construct all high-speed rail structures located within this segment, which includes 11 civil structures comprised of overpasses, underpasses, and viaducts built to take high-speed trains over roadways, waterways, and existing rail lines. Of the more than 14,500 construction jobs created since the start of the high-speed rail project, work in CP 4 generated more than 3,200 jobs that went to residents of the Central Valley, the majority going to workers in Kern County.

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About the collaboration between the High-Speed Rail Authority, Brightline West, and High-Desert Joint Powers Agency

The Authority, High-Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency and Brightline West have been working together in close collaboration to develop the U.S. Southwest region high-speed rail network. Once fully built and interconnected, the three high-speed rail systems will pave the way for Californians to travel from Northern California through Central Valley to Southern California, as well to Las Vegas. The three parties continue to collaborate on protocols and standards for interoperability between systems.

In California’s Central Valley, there are 25 active construction sites, more than 60 miles of guideway completed and nearly five miles of bridges and other structures in place, making it possible to begin the track laying construction process. In addition, 463 of 494 miles have been fully environmentally cleared for the high-speed rail project between the Bay Area and Los Angeles County.

High-speed rail is a key part of Governor Newsom’s Build More, Faster agenda, delivering infrastructure upgrades and creating jobs throughout the state.

For the latest on high-speed rail construction, visit: www.buildhsr.com

Interviews in Spanish are available upon request. For more information, contact the Authority’s media relations office at news@hsr.ca.gov. Se ofrecen entrevistas en español bajo solicitud. Para obtener más información, contacte a la Oficina de Relaciones con los Medios por correo electrónico: news@hsr.ca.gov

The following link contains recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.