May 8, 2023 - KINGS COUNTY, Calif. – In an effort to continue to improve safety and provide support to the surrounding communities impacted by recent floodings, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and contractor Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture (DFJV) announced the completion of the Dover Avenue and Idaho Avenue grade separations. These two new overcrossings are now open to traffic and are the latest high-speed rail structures to be completed in Kings County.

The Dover Avenue Grade Separation is located between Seventh and Ninth avenues, east of State Route (SR) 43, and spans 227 feet and is 43 feet wide. Work was expedited by DFJV to complete the Idaho Avenue Grade Separation and mitigate floodings. The overcrossing is located further south, between SR 43 and Seventh avenues. The overcrossing spans 205 feet and is 40 feet wide. Both structures will take traffic over the future high-speed rail lines.

“The opening of these structures provides a direct link to the surrounding communities, enabling farmers and businesses to easily access their fields and customers,” said Sean Lind, Project Director for Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture. “The new bridges also provide an easy, additional route for residents and emergency responders as the Valley continues to address the current and any future floods.”

Several small businesses took part in constructing these grade separations including Katch Environmental, G&J Heavy Haul, Forefront Deep Foundations, Allied Concrete, Safety Striping, Dees Burke Engineering, Bubba’s Water Truck, Trahan Enterprises, Tommy’s Water Truck, Leo Tidewell Excavation, Avila Construction Services, Alert-O-Lite, Hunsaker Safety & Sign, Klug Engineering, Zikov Engineering, and Morrris Engineering. To date, six structures have been completed and opened to traffic within Kings County.

Since the start of construction, the Authority has created more than 10,000 construction jobs, a majority going to residents from the Central Valley. This includes 3,429 that have gone to residents from Fresno County, 1,946 from Kern County, 1,033 from Tulare County, 442 from Madera County, and 369 from Kings County.

Photo features Idaho Avenue Grade Separation in Kings County.
Click to see larger version.

The Authority has begun work to extend the 119 miles under construction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield. There are more than 30 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, with the Authority having environmentally cleared 422 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles Basin. For more on construction, visit www.buildhsr.comExternal Link.  
Source: California High-Speed Rail Authority