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PHOTO RELEASE: High-Speed Rail Opens Belmont Avenue Grade Separation in City of Fresno

May 23, 2025

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: A new grade separation at Belmont Avenue in the city of Fresno is now open to traffic. The four-span bridge will now take traffic and pedestrians over the Union Pacific Railroad and high-speed rail tracks safely. Belmont Avenue is the third high-speed rail structure to be opened in the Central Valley this year. To date, 54 high-speed rail structures have been completed and 30 are currently under construction.

FRESNO, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) took another step towards improving safety in the Central Valley with the opening of another grade separation. The Belmont Avenue Grade Separation in the City of Fresno is now open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic and is the third structure to be completed this year.

Work began on the Belmont Avenue Grade Separation in 2022 but remained open to traffic throughout construction. The four-span bridge will now take traffic and pedestrians over the Union Pacific Railroad and high-speed rail tracks safely. The bridge itself spans more than 611 feet long and 62 feet wide.

Open below images for larger versions.

Photo of bridge on Belmont Avenue where traffic will flow above HSR and Union Pacific tracks.
Photo of empty bridge on Belmont Avenue where traffic will flow.
Headshot of Central Valley Regional Director Garth Fernandez in front of Authority's Fresno office front doors.

“Safety is the highest priority for the Authority, while in construction and for our future operations. The Belmont Avenue grade separation is yet another example of the Authority’s investment in the community to enhance safety and connectivity for all modes of traffic including bikes and pedestrians. We continue to make progress and are positioned to open several more grade separations including Tulare Street, connecting Downtown and Chinatown, in the next couple of months.”

Garth Fernandez, Authority Central Valley Regional Director
Grade separations like Belmont Avenue provide many benefits to the surrounding community including reduced traffic congestion, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from idling vehicles, reduced noise from train horns and improved safety overall for traffic and pedestrians who no longer have to wait at the railroad crossing or walk across it on foot.
Photo of Miguel Arias, Fresno City Council Vice President

“The opening of the Belmont Avenue grade separation marks another significant milestone for the Authority and our community. I would sincerely like to thank the nearby residents, business owners and patrons for their patience during the construction period. While this may have caused some disruptions, I extend my deep appreciation to high-speed rail for delivering another high-quality project that will benefit the Tower District for future generations.”

Miguel Arias, Fresno City Council Vice President

Graphic showing a bridge over high-speed rail tracks.Open the above image for a larger version.

Construction progresses every day on the California high-speed rail project. There are currently 171 miles under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield. More than 60 miles of guideway is completed and of the 93 structures needed, 54 are complete and more than 30 are under construction between Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare and counties.

Since the start of high-speed rail construction, the project has created more than 15,000 good paying construction jobs for residents, a majority going to residents of the Central Valley. Nearly 1,600 workers are dispatched to a high-speed rail construction site daily. The Authority has obtained full environmental clearance on 463 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to downtown Los Angeles.

Interviews in Spanish are available upon request. For more information, contact the Authority’s media relations office at: news@hsr.ca.gov.

Se ofrecen entrevistas en Español bajo solicitud. Para obtener más información, contacte a la Oficina de Relaciones con los Medios por correo electrónico: news@hsr.ca.gov.

For the latest on high-speed rail construction, visit www.buildhsr.comExternal Link.

The following link contains recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8External Link.

Files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Build More, Faster

High-speed rail is a key part of Governor Newsom’s Build More, FasterExternal Link agenda, delivering infrastructure upgrades and creating jobs throughout the state. Discover more: Build.ca.govExternal Link

 

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