en.Wedoany.com Reported - The California High-Speed Rail Authority has opened a grade separation at Jersey Avenue and State Route 43 in Kings County, bringing the total number of completed structures along the initial 119-mile high-speed rail alignment under construction in the Central Valley to 61.
The overpass, which opened on May 20, is a key component of the future high-speed rail corridor between Merced and Bakersfield. Spanning 437 feet in length and over 43 feet in width, the two-lane bridge crosses the future high-speed rail line. The structure carries roadway traffic and is one of two grade separations planned in Kings County, located between Jackson Avenue and Kent Avenue.
The bridge was designed and built using a cast-in-place box girder method, utilizing over 575,000 pounds of steel and approximately 2,400 cubic yards of concrete, along with extensive earthwork to support surrounding transportation infrastructure. Ed Fenn stated that the new structure will improve road safety, traffic flow, and connectivity for local communities, businesses, and agricultural operations.
The Authority stated that the grade separation project brings broad safety benefits, including an estimated $137 million in public safety cost savings over 30 years and the prevention of approximately 670 potential collisions involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage.
This opening follows the completion of the Avenue 26 grade separation in Madera County and the Ventura Avenue underpass in Fresno. Currently, construction is underway on the 171-mile segment between Merced and Bakersfield, with over 80 miles of track completed and 30 major structures under construction in Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties. The broader San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim high-speed rail project is planned to span 494 miles, with 463 miles having received environmental clearance. The project has created nearly 19,200 jobs and generated an estimated $25 billion in economic impact in California.
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