California High-Speed Rail Authority facing more project delays

CHSRA faces more project delays.

CHSRA

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has been plagued with construction delays for several years.

Many of them were caused by an alleged slow pace in acquiring the land needed for the Authority’s contractors to build the line.

The Los Angeles Times reports that earlier this month, the Authority received a letter from the construction firm Dragados with the message that this contractor will require at least until April 14, 2025 deadline for a 65-mile route through Kings County, which is approximately 170 miles north of Los Angeles.

On Friday, March 26, RT&S reported on the Authority’s release of their revised 2020 business plan, and the date included in this plan for the complete the 65-mile section was two years prior to the 2025 deadline documented in its letter to the Authority.

The reason for the delay given by Dragados in their letter is the delay in the Authority’s acquisition of land for the line. Specifically, the firm said that it was chaotic to bring on workers when land is available, only to have to lay them off when when the land runs out, and can’t bring them back until more land is available.

The Times reported further that another construction group complained about the same thing last year, i.e., that it would not be able to complete it’s work on time due to the lack of land acquisition. The firm called these delays “beyond comprehension.”

The Times also reported that the chief operating officer of the Authority, Joe Hedges, was not overly concerned about the letter, saying that this is “part of back-and-forth” in the construction industry’s normal bargaining process.

RT&S has reached out to the CHSRA for comment, but had not heard back as of press time.

For more details of this story, please check the Los Angeles Times.