Do Not Mess With High Speed Rail
March 5, 2025
by LA/OC Building Trades
As high speed rail makes its way toward Los Angeles County, the Building Trades have a message for the Trump Administration: Don’t stop us now.
In the same week that the High Speed Rail Authority met in Palmdale, demolition work began for the ambitious high speed rail plan in Fresno.
The $68 billion high speed rail, the first of its kind in the United States, will be built under an agreement with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, bringing collective bargaining to all workers on the project.
On Sept. 16, the authority held its monthly meeting in Palmdale, with part of the agenda devoted to the link between Palmdale and Burbank. The authority is considering building a tunnel through the Angeles National Forest, or a route that follows the 14 Freeway.
On Sept. 17, crews began demolition activities at the old Del Monte Plant in downtown Fresno. The plant has been abandoned for years and was significantly damaged by a fire earlier in 2014. It is being removed to make way for the future downtown Fresno high speed rail station. Removal of the plant and development of the station are boosting local economies, providing for smart development and growth.
29-Mile Stretch
The Authority, design-build contractor Tutor-Perini/Zachry/Parsons (TPZP) and their subcontractors have been completing design, acquiring properties, getting permits, hiring workers and conducting various testing for work along Construction Package 1, the first 29-mile stretch from Avenue 17 in Madera to East American Avenue in Fresno.
Prior to demolition activities, the plant had to be abated (hazardous materials removed prior to demolition activities). That work was done by Katch Environmental Inc., a Fresno-owned, certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise. The demolition is being done by J. Kroeker Inc., a women-owned subcontractor. More than 30 small businesses are committed to do work on Construction Package 1.
