en.Wedoany.com Reported - The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Board of Directors approved on June 3 the launch of the initial phase of the largest track and systems installation work in the United States. A U.S.-led joint venture comprising Kiewit, Stacy Witbeck, and Herzog will be responsible for installing track, overhead contact system, train control, and communication infrastructure on the completed 119-mile alignment in the Central Valley, transforming it into an electrified high-speed rail system capable of reaching speeds of up to 220 miles per hour.
Prior to the Board's decision, track installation had already been completed at a 150-acre southern alignment facility in Kern County. This facility will serve as a dispatch and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation and is now ready to receive freight deliveries of steel rails and other long-lead materials procured directly by the Authority, enabling rapid deployment once work begins later this year.
Authority CEO Ian Choudri stated that the addition of the track and systems construction team marks the project's transition from major civil engineering construction to delivering an operational railway. With alignment track installation already completed and many critical railway materials under contract, the project is accelerating the installation of the first true high-speed rail track in the Western Hemisphere. This track and systems construction contract covers the currently under-construction 119-mile section in the Central Valley and extends north and south to future extensions in Merced and Bakersfield. The contract adopts a phased structure, allowing track and systems work to begin immediately after civil engineering is completed in each segment, accelerating a seamless transition from alignment construction to electrified high-speed rail installation.
The contract was awarded following a competitive procurement process launched in November 2025, after the Board authorized the Authority to bring one of the largest railway infrastructure contracts in the United States to market. To expedite delivery and improve cost efficiency, the Authority also procured long-lead materials in advance, including steel rails, concrete sleepers, ballast, and other critical components required for track installation. The contract also sets targets to support small and disadvantaged businesses, including a 25% small business participation target, comprising a 3% micro-enterprise component and a 3% disabled veteran-owned business target.
The high-speed rail project continues to advance daily, with 171 miles from Merced to Bakersfield currently in design and construction. Over 80 miles of alignment have been completed, 60 major structures are fully built, and more than 30 additional structures are under construction in Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties. Statewide, 463 miles of the 494-mile system from San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim have been environmentally cleared and are construction-ready. The project has created nearly 19,200 high-paying jobs during construction (most held by Central Valley residents) and generated nearly $25 billion in economic impact and growth across the state, with up to 1,700 workers reporting to construction sites daily.
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