On June 1, 2026, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) announced that it officially approved a team to start laying the first high-speed track in the Central Valley.
While civil construction has been ongoing along the route since 2015, this decision marks another milestone toward the goal of finally laying high-speed track in 2026.
One of the largest rail infrastructure contracts in the U.S.
Following a procurement process that began in November 2025, the CHSRA awarded the construction contract to an “American‑led consortium” comprising North American engineering and construction firm Kiewit, U.S. transit and heavy civil contractor Stacy Witbeck, and North American rail and heavy‑highway specialist Herzog.
The work includes installing the track, overhead contact system, and train control and communications along 119 miles of guideway in the Central Valley. It’s one of the largest rail infrastructure contracts in the country.
The 150-acre Southern Railhead Facility in Kern County, which opened in February, will serve as a staging and distribution hub for track laying and systems installation. CAHSR has already laid freight track to begin receiving deliveries of rail and other materials.
While the full high-speed route is envisioned to connect the 520-mile distance from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 hours and 40 minutes, most of the current work is concentrated around the 171-mile Initial Operating Segment (IOS) between Merced and Bakersfield. The newly awarded track-laying contract covers the 119 miles of the IOS that are already under heavy work.
The latest press release does not provide an official start date for track-laying beyond “later this year,” so we’ll be keeping an eye out for updates in 2026.
High-speed rail in CA
The California High-Speed Rail project officially launched in 2008 with the approval of Prop 1A, although groundbreaking didn’t begin until 2015. The next decade was spent performing civil construction along the IOS, creating major viaducts, bridges, embankments, and grade separations.
The IOS, which serves five planned stations in Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings/Tulare, and Bakersfield, may open as soon as 2032.
While environmental clearance is approved for the full Phase 1 route from San Francisco to Los Angeles, there is still no projected completion date for this longer stretch.
