CHSRA, joint venture sign Stage 1 contract

The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has signed a $985.1 million design-build contract with a California-based joint venture of Tutor Perini, Zachry Construction, and Parsons for civil works on the first section of the state's high speed rail network.

The contract covers the initial Madera-to-Fresno portion of the 209km Initial Operating Section (IOS) Stage 1 from Madera to Bakersfield, in California’s Central Valley, which is targeted to begin service in 2017.

Last June CHSRA selected the joint venture as the preferred bidder, when the CHSRA board voted unanimously in favor of accepting the bid, the lowest of five submitted for the contract in January.

But CHSRA still has to contend with a number of legal hurdles before construction can begin on IOS Stage 1. Last week the Sacramento Superior Court ruled that CHSRA had violated the terms of Proposition 1A, the state ballot measure which authorises funding for the program, after the local council in Kings County successfully petitioned for environmental impact assessments to be completed on the entire Madera-Bakersfield section before construction starts.

The court also ruled that CHSRA needs to provide more clarity on funding arrangements for the project.