California High-Speed Rail Authority has announced that it has launched new construction works in the South Valley under the Construction Package 4 (CP4). Though utility relocation and clearing and grubbing have been underway, the first construction activity began recently with geotechnical testing at Garces Highway in Kern County.
CP4 is the third significant construction contract on California HSR project and envisages a construction are of 33.5-km, from the north of Tulare/Kern County at the terminus of Construction Package 2-3 and Poplar Avenue to the south. CP 4 will include construction of at-grade, retained fill and aerial sections of the high-speed rail alignment and the relocation of 6.5 km of existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) tracks.
The value of the project was estimated between USD 400 and USD 500 million. California Rail Builders was the best value proposer for the design-build services contract for CP4, who bid USD 347.55 million.
By 2029, the high-speed railway system will link San Francisco to Los Angeles basin in a three-hour travel with trains running at speeds of 300 km/h. Within the next phase, the authorities want to extend the line to Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 1300 km high-speed rail system served by 24 stations.
According to the latest data, in June 2017, construction activities on 191 km were underway. Three design-build construction teams are working between Madera and Kern Counties on contracts valued at USD 3.24 billion.
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