WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Road 26 grade separation in Madera County is now open to traffic, marking the completion of the final structure in the county for the first 119 miles of high-speed rail construction in the Central Valley. The new structure improves safety by allowing pedestrians and vehicles to cross over the existing BNSF railroad and future high-speed rail tracks.
May 24, 2026 - MADERA COUNTY, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) announced completion of the Road 26 grade separation project in Madera County, marking the 60th completed structure within the first 119 miles of active high-speed rail construction in the Central Valley. As construction advances, the project continues generating thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in economic activity statewide.
Madera County will see immediate benefits from this new grade separation. Traffic flow along Road 26 will improve, and pedestrians – including students who attend the elementary school less than a mile away - will no longer have to walk across dangerous railroad tracks each day. This milestone reflects the continued support and leadership at the state level, including Governor Newsom, who has helped advance high-speed rail progress in the Central Valley," said Ed Fenn, Chief of Construction for the Authority
In Madera County, grade separations like Road 26 are estimated to reduce accidents, fatalities, injuries, and property damage, providing an estimated public benefit of approximately $127 million over 30 years.
The Road 26 grade separation is located between Club Drive and Avenue 18 1/2, north of Madera. The three-lane structure spans 636 feet and is 68 feet wide. It will improve safety by allowing pedestrians and vehicular traffic to travel over the existing BNSF railroad and the future high-speed rail tracks.
The structure is comprised of more than 6,500 cubic yards of concrete, 1,175,281 pounds of steel, nearly 90,000 cubic yards of embankment or compacted material, and 49 pre-cast concrete girders.
“We are delighted that the Road 26 grade separation project has been completed and is open to the public. The overpass improves safety and eliminates delays caused by the Gold Runner Amtrak operation, as well as future high-speed rail trains. I appreciate the communication that the County of Madera has had with the Authority’s management and their commitment to ensuring that the overpass was safe and stable before opening to traffic," said Robert Poythress, Madera County Supervisor
High-Speed Rail Progress
Work continues daily on the high-speed rail project, with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield. More than 80 miles of guideway are complete, along with 60 fully completed major structures and 30 more structures underway across Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties.
The project continues to advance statewide, with 463 miles of the 494-mile San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim system fully environmentally cleared and construction ready.
Throughout construction, the project has created nearly 19,200 good-paying jobs—most filled by Central Valley residents – and generated nearly $25 billion in economic impact and growth across the state. Up to 1,700 workers report to high-speed rail construction sites each day.
For the latest on high-speed rail construction, visit: www.buildhsr.com
Source: CA. HSR
