SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California High-Speed Rail Authority board of directors has approved contracts for design of 52.4 miles of right-of-way that will extend the route north to Merced and south to Bakersfield, completing the initial 171-mile segment in the state’s Central Valley.
The board awarded a $41 million design contract to Stantec Consulting Services for the 33.9-mile, 40-structure Merced-Madera segment, and a $44.9 million contract to HNTB for 18.5 miles between Shafter and Bakersfield. The contracts, expected to last for two years, will see the companies work with the high speed authority to finalize the project footprint, advance design work, and map right-of-way and utility relocation. These steps are prelude to construction, with the goal of operating trains between Merced and Bakersfield by the end of the decade.
“Taken together, these contracts bolster the Authority’s effort to have high-speed trains operating in the heart of California by the end of the decade,” Authority Chairman Tom Richards said in a press release. “These contracts demonstrate our ability to leverage lessons learned from past contracts, increase project readiness and prepare for continued progress on this transformative project.”
The 119-mile segment between Madera and Shafter is currently under construction. More information on construction is available here.
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