February 9,2015
The winning bidder on the Kings County segment of the high speed rail will open an office and construction yard in Hanford as it gears up on the $1.2 billion project. So says city manager Darrel Pyle after visiting with representatives of the firms.
The contractors – Dragados USA, Inc., Flatiron West, Inc., and Shimmick Construction Company, Inc., collectively known as DFS was low bidder on the Construction Package 2-3 Project with a bid of $1.2 billion for this stretch of the rail segment.
Their bid was $500 million less than the next lowest bidder. State engineers has estimated the cost for the new track at $1.5 to 2 billion.
Construction Package 2-3 is a 60-mile route located within the counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kings and the cities of Hanford, Corcoran and Allensworth. The Project calls for construction of at-grade, aerial, and possible below grade sections of high speed train, relocation of existing BNSF tracks for approximately 5.5 miles, possible crossing of existing BNSF railroad tracks, construction of waterway and wildlife crossings, and roadway reconstructions, relocations, and closures.
Expected to result in thousands of jobs, DFS’s King County plan include construction of the new rail station east of Hanford where Pyle says ”construction will be accelerated because of lower costs and savings.”
“Now they have decided to build the rail station at-grade instead of 50 feet high with 5 rail lines being elevated when they come through.” Instead the rail lines will be at ground level going over the San Joaquin Valley Rail line as well as Hwy 198 – each which will be depressed.
In addition Pyle expects infrastructure costs being sought by the city to connect the HS station to city roads,water and sewer will be accommodated as a change order on the construction project.
CHSRA has identified a 25 acre ag parcel owned by Hanford’s Ernie Costmagna to build the new station likely to be purchased through eminent domaine in coming months.
In a related matter the Kings County Board of Supervisors is considering a plan that would designate the Kings EDC to coordinate the current purchase of right of way by CHSRA through Kings County for business relocation assistance of those affected. A similar arrangement is already in place in Fresno County.