An American-led consortium comprising Kiewit, Stacy Witbeck, and Herzog has been selected by the California High-Speed Rail Authority to deliver the trackwork, overhead electrification, train control, and communications systems required to convert 119 miles of completed guideway in California’s Central Valley into an electrified high-speed rail corridor designed for speeds of up to 220 mph. The approval follows the completion of track installation at the 150-acre Southern Railhead facility in Kern County, which will function as the primary staging and logistics hub for rail systems construction. The facility is now equipped to receive rail shipments and other long-lead materials procured by the Authority, supporting the planned start of track and systems installation in late 2026.

The Track and Systems Construction Contract encompasses the 119-mile section currently being developed in California’s Central Valley and includes provisions for future extensions to Merced in the north and Bakersfield in the south. Structured in phases, the contract enables track and railway systems installation to commence immediately after completion of civil works on each segment, facilitating a smooth and accelerated progression from guideway construction to the development of an electrified high-speed rail network.

Construction and design activities remain underway across the high-speed rail program, with 171 miles of the corridor between Merced and Bakersfield currently in various stages of development. To date, more than 80 miles of guideway have been completed, alongside 60 major structures that are fully finished, while an additional 30 structures are under construction across Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties. The project is also progressing at the statewide level, with environmental clearance secured for 463 of the 494 miles planned between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Anaheim, making those sections ready for construction. The initial Merced–Bakersfield operating segment is targeted for completion by 2033.