California authority awards design contract for high-speed rail track, OCS

The California High-Speed Rail Authority yesterday approved joint venture SYSTRA | TYPSA as the contractor to design the track and overhead electrical systems for the state’s initial 171-mile high-speed passenger-rail service between Merced and Bakersfield.

“Getting track and systems design under contract is an important milestone in movement to bring high-speed rail service to California. This approval gets us closer to electrified passenger-rail service and putting this transformative project into operations as soon as possible,” said CHSRA Chair Tom Richards in a press release.

With an initial contract value of up to $131.2 million, the contract will allow the authority to:

• produce high-level designs for track and overhead contact system (OCS) for the initial section, including detailed designs for the 119-mile section now under construction in the Central Valley;
• design the track system, including the track structure, OCS, along-track cable containment, across-track ducts, access walkways, fencing and drainage; and
• manage technical and non-technical interfaces with contractors and consultants.

In October 2022, the authority opted to let a previous request for qualifications for procurement of a track and systems contractor expire due to the economic climate, supply-chain challenges and 40-year high inflation. 

The authority has since developed a new procurement strategy, considering extensive industry feedback and adjusting to program needs, authority officials said.

The track and OCS design services contract is an important step in the new procurement strategy, they added. The contractor will collaborate with a future construction manager/general contractor hired to construct the track and OCS based on its designs.