August 20,2016-
The contractor for the Kings County section of the bullet train may soon start the first major structure in the county – moving closer to building the Kings River bridge east of Hwy 43.The bridge turns out to be not only a dramatic first step into the Kings County portion of the 60-mile CP2-3 section but a key test for the bidding process of this phase of the controversial project that was bid at $1.2 billion, well below engineers estimates of $1.5 to $2 billion.
Isn’t it likely that the eventual cost will be much higher when it moves to construction – critics scoff?
CHSRA chair Dan Richard addressed this cost overrun issue in an Atlantic magazine article some time ago noting that in the design-build process the design contractor produces a design at the 30% level,enough so that it is less likely there will be key design flaws that would result in expensive change orders. Richard adds that then several competitive bidding teams of companies who want to build the project come into play. The bidders are encouraged to submit Alternate Technical Concept,ACTs,that propose specific design changes at one section that either saves money or time and are incorporated in their competitive bids. Richard says the same approach was used to build BART in San Francisco.
The winning bidder in our area was led by Dragados and one ACT involves changes over how to cross the Kings River, the county line. According to Toni Tinoco, spokesperson for high speed rail, “Alternative Technical Concept 3 (ATC 3) is one of several ATCs that have been proposed by design-builder, Dragados/Flatiron Joint Venture for Construction Package 2-3.
ATC 3 replaces a design for a concrete viaduct structure to an embankment, with concrete bridge structures spanning the main river areas of Cole Slough, Dutch John Cut and the Old Kings River.With the proposed design for an embankment by Dragado,wildlife crossings were added, less right of way is needed, and cost-savings were incorporated. The cost-savings for ATC 3 is approximately $79 million.”
That lower ATC bid was accepted as part of the Dragados bid that somehow was exactly $1,234,567,890 – an amazing stair step of numbers that was the end result of all that engineering.
So when will they start on construction of the Kings River bridge?
Sources say a few parcels are still tied up in the eminent domain process being bought from unwilling sellers including bullet train opponents – the same process that has dogged the project elsewhere including delays in Fresno County leading to headlines of cost overruns there.“Work on the project has been delayed by a number of factors since the first contracts were awarded three years ago, principally the slow pace of right-of-way acquisition for construction.”
Court cases could resolve the local parcels issues in this part of Kings County as soon as November.Work after that may be able to start in Spring 2017 and be completed by 2019 says Tinoco.