On October 7, 2026 in California’s Central Valley, the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced completion of four additional structures on the Authority’s first 119 miles, raising the total completed structures to 66. The newly finished works are two viaducts (Cross Creek Viaduct and Tule River Viaduct), one road bridge grade separation (State Route 43 Curved Bridge) and one underpass (Avenue 136 Underpass) in Kings and Tulare counties. The Authority said these completions increase the number of structures finished in 2026 to eight.
The announcement discloses precise engineering and material quantities for each structure: the State Route 43 Curved Bridge is 660 feet long, 45 feet across, reaches 60 feet at its tallest point and used 1,507,768 pounds of steel plus over 4,200 cubic yards of concrete; the Cross Creek Viaduct exceeds 2,500 feet and used nearly 11,500 cubic yards of concrete and 7,708,459 pounds of steel; the Tule River Viaduct is 3,573 feet and used 23,240,933 pounds of steel plus 38 tub girders and 23,240,933 pounds of steel and 264 California Wide Flange girders at Tule River (total 486 wide flange girders between the two viaducts); the Avenue 136 Underpass used 1,470 cubic yards of concrete and 510,000 pounds of rebar. The Authority attributed an estimated combined 30-year safety benefit of $466 million to the grade separations, and the report notes previously published county estimates that together underpin that figure. The Authority’s October update also reports nearly 90 miles of completed guideway, 30 structures under way, and environmental clearance for 463 of 494 miles between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Anaheim. Track-laying status on the main line was not stated in the October update.
Lead
On October 7, 2026, the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced completion of four additional civil structures on its initial 119-mile Central Valley alignment. The works are located in Kings and Tulare counties and increase the Authority’s reported count of completed structures to 66. The Authority said the four completions raise the number of structures finished in 2026 to eight.
Verified facts
The Authority’s October 7, 2026 news release identifies the four newly completed structures as: the State Route 43 Curved Bridge (grade separation) north of Corcoran; the Cross Creek Viaduct (west of State Route 43 and north of the Curved Bridge); the Tule River Viaduct in Tulare County; and the Avenue 136 Underpass (south of the Tule River Viaduct). The State Route 43 Curved Bridge measures 660 feet in length, 45 feet across and reaches 60 feet at its tallest point, and was built with 1,507,768 pounds of steel plus over 4,200 cubic yards of concrete. The Cross Creek Viaduct crosses the creek for more than 2,500 feet and used nearly 11,500 cubic yards of concrete and 7,708,459 pounds of steel. The Tule River Viaduct measures 3,573 feet, combines a viaduct with a pergola structure, carries the alignment over State Route 43, the Tule River and existing freight tracks, and incorporates 38 tub girders and 23,240,933 pounds of steel. The two viaducts contain a combined total of 486 California Wide Flange girders: 222 at Cross Creek and 264 at Tule River. The Avenue 136 Underpass is a 55-foot cast-in-place structure built with 1,470 cubic yards of concrete and 510,000 pounds of rebar.
The Authority stated a combined 30-year safety benefit for the structures of $466 million. The Authority attributed that figure to county estimates published with the announcement: Kings County estimated $137 million and about 670 avoided crashes for its grade separations; Tulare County estimated $329 million and 1,604 avoided crashes for its grade separations. The Authority’s graphics describe each county’s grade separations rather than the four structures alone.
The Authority’s October update reports nearly 90 miles of completed guideway and that 463 of the 494 miles between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Anaheim have environmental clearance. The update counts 66 finished structures and 30 under way; it does not restate a total number of structures or the number remaining to finish. A May 2026 project summary prepared for a California Senate budget subcommittee listed 59 completed structures, 33 still to finish and 30 under construction, a total of 92 structures. The October update does not state whether track laying on the main line has begun.
Organizations and responsibilities
California High-Speed Rail Authority — announced the completions in the October 7, 2026 news release, provided the reported material quantities and counts of completed/under-way structures, and published the graphics and county estimates referenced in the announcement. The Authority prepared a May 2026 project summary for a California Senate budget subcommittee and issued earlier news/photo releases cited in the source material.
Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture — identified in the October release as the Authority’s contractor for Construction Package 2-3 and the fabricator of 486 California Wide Flange girders in Hanford (222 for Cross Creek, 264 for Tule River).
Kings County — provided the $137 million and about 670 avoided crashes estimate cited by the Authority’s graphics for county grade separations. Kings County Supervisor Richard Valle is noted as commenting that the State Route 43 Curved Bridge was the third high-speed rail structure to open in the county this summer.
Tulare County — provided the $329 million and 1,604 avoided crashes estimate cited by the Authority’s graphics for county grade separations.
Kiewit, Stacy Witbeck and Herzog consortium — identified in a June 1, 2026 Authority board action as the contractor approved to lay track and fit overhead power, train control and communications systems on the 119-mile Central Valley section; the October update does not state whether their work has started.
Operational and commercial context
The Authority’s materials place the four completed structures within the wider Central Valley civil works and program schedule. The May 2026 project summary (first-party) described Construction Package 4 as substantially complete and gave 2026 as the expected date for Construction Package 1 and Construction Package 2-3; it set 2032 for completing the Merced–Bakersfield early operating segment and 2033 for fare-paying service from that segment. A November 2025 Authority board memo on the track and systems construction contract set a schedule aimed at starting track laying by the end of 2026 and capped that contract at $3.5 billion for the 171-mile early operating segment. On June 1, 2026 the Authority’s board approved the Kiewit/Stacy Witbeck/Herzog consortium for track and systems work, with work due to start later in 2026 as civil sections are finished. The October 2026 update does not state whether track laying on the main line has begun, and the Authority’s October release does not disclose commercial contract values for the recent structure completions.
Sources
https://www.railway.supply/california-high-speed-rail-hits-66-structures-with-track-team-on-board/ — Railway Supply
Additional first-party materials referenced by Railway Supply: California High-Speed Rail Authority news release of June 12, 2025; photo release of August 21, 2025; May 2026 project summary to the California Senate budget subcommittee; news release of October 7, 2026; November 2025 board memo; June 1, 2026 board approval documents. (As cited in the Railway Supply report.)
Disclosure
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