Work is officially underway tearing down bridges and moving roads to clear the way for High Speed Rail. Leaders with the city of Fresno and the High Speed Rail Authority met in downtown Wednesday to officially celebrate the beginning of construction.
Workers are beginning the careful process of removing the bridge while keeping the existing rail line running.
The bridge needs to be torn down to make way for a new taller span.
It is the first major urban construction project connected to the bullet train in the Fresno area.
Diane Gomez with the rail authority says it won’t take long to change the landscape of downtown Fresno….
“Within two months there will be no bridge here. So most definitely, you’ll have a whole new view of the area,” Gomez said.
The bridge will be re-built with two-way traffic and the nearby one-way Stanislaus Street Bridge will be permanently removed.
Fresno City Council member Oliver Baines said the new bridge is one of the ways the city can benefit from the train.
“I am elated about the fact that we are going to be the model for high speed rail throughout the entire country. The opportunity that we have to change our valley is tremendous,” Baines said.
Demolition of other buildings in downtown is also underway, as well as along Highway 99, a portion of which needs to be moved to make room for the tracks.
A complete run down of the projects coming up and how they may affect you is available here.
