July 2024 I Will Ride Update
Greetings I Will Riders,
With summer in full blast, we are excited to share the latest high-speed rail news. The high-speed rail exhibit at the California State Fair surprised fairgoers with a life-size mockup train, 3D models of stations and beautiful photography of construction that wrapped around the exhibit hall. We also have the latest news on summer site visits with some of the state’s most passionate transportation students.
| Project Updates |
Reaching Students All Around California – A Summer to Remember
This summer, we reached students all over California. Read about the students we met in Los Angeles, San Jose and Fresno.
Los Angeles Metro Transportation Interns Welcome HSR Team
In the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, the Authority was happy to join the Transportation Career and Academy Program (TCAP) for the fourth consecutive summer! With a presentation from the Authority’s Southern California Regional Director and External Affairs Director, TCAP interns at LA Metro got the latest update on high-speed rail statewide with a close look at the Authority’s Southern California regional area. TCAP is a summer internship program for high-school students that are passionate about transforming the transportation system in their community. Every year, over 100 students are chosen for the program and placed with a Metro office for the summer where they get real job experience in the transportation agency. The students also complete a summer group project and are paid a stipend for their work.
Central Valley Welcomes Fresno State Engineering Summer Camp Students
The Fresno State Transportation Institute hosts an annual middle school camp from students in the surrounding counties. The camp offers a week-long deep dive into transportation careers and STEM education, featuring field trips and interactive learning experiences. The Authority welcomed middle school students from the city of Madera a on a tour of the San Joaquin River Viaduct. Guided on-site by high-speed rail professionals in engineering and communications, local Central Valley students got an inside look at one of the nation’s largest infrastructure projects.
Mineta Summer Transportation Institute Northern California HSR Alignment Tour
Earlier this month, the Authority took the 2024 cohort of the Mineta Summer Transportation Institute on a Northern California Alignment Tour via Caltrain. Students boarded Caltrain at Diridon Station in San Jose and rode up to 4th & King Station in San Francisco. Students then took Muni to Salesforce Transit Center, where they had the opportunity to meet staff from the Transbay Joint Powers Authority and tour the center. This tour included a special preview of the trainbox that already exists beneath Salesforce Transit Center. Once TJPA’s Portal project is complete, both high-peed rail and Caltrain will travel via tunnel from 4th & King to Salesforce Transit Center. While on Caltrain from San Jose to San Francisco, students were provided with information about key alignment features and modifications with Deutsche Bahn and HNTB.
Wrapping Up 2024 California State Fair
The California State Fair was the largest outreach project the Authority has ever embarked on. Thank you to all that joined and followed along on social media. Welcoming thousands of visitors daily with a total of 50,000 visitors over the two weeks, the California high-speed rail team shared about the historic project to fairgoers and train enthusiasts! The high-speed rail exhibit, “The State of the Future”, featured a life-size train mockup with train seats, a kids’ play area, and a platform to help visitors get a glimpse into future California high-speed rail. The exhibit also featured 3D models of future stations, large-scale images of trains and stations, construction progress photos wrapped around the large exhibit, virtual reality and an area for kids to take a break and color some high-speed rail-related coloring pages. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, you can take a look get a glimpse of the exhibit here on our YouTube page.
Women in Construction: Building the Nation
The Authority hosted t a Women in Construction panel at the California State Fair’s high-speed rail exhibit. For this discussion, we brought some of the women working on high-speed rail construction sites to talk about their career paths and inspire women to consider careers in construction. From ironworkers, carpenters, surveyors, executive leaders and more, these women shared with enthusiasm and pride about their work on the historic California High-Speed Rail project. This topic was important because women continue to make up a small percentage of workers in the construction industry and construction trades. In the year 2020, nationally, 10.9% of construction industry employees were women, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Census data shows this is consistent with women in the construction industry, specifically in California, with 9.3% of construction workers being female. This, however, is one part of the bigger picture. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Quick-Figure-construction-July-2023.pdf) found women’s representation significantly decreased in labor and extraction occupations. Women comprise only 4.5% of construction laborers, 3.1% of carpenters, 2.9% of electricians, and 4.7% of active apprentices, highlighting the tremendous opportunities for women in construction trades.
Federal Partnership Continued
With a continued federal partnership, the Authority has been granted continued authority in the environmental approval process for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). What does this have to do with high-speed rail? Before building any infrastructure project, two environmental clearance processes must be completed in California: one state and the other federal. The state process is through the California Environmental Quality Act, and the federal is NEPA. (State – CEQA, Federal – NEPA). Though similar processes, they have various reviews and approvals. The “NEPA Assignment” allows the State to continue to stand in the shoes of the Federal Railroad Administration for certain duties under federal environmental law, thereby streamlining decision-making and providing for a more efficient environmental review process.
Two Grade Separations Completed in the Central Valley
Earlier this month, the Authority announced the completion of two grade separations in Fresno County. The Mountain View Avenue and Floral Avenue grade crossings will take traffic over the future high-speed rail trains reducing emission and increasing safety.
| Internship, Jobs and Scholarships |
Under close supervision, and in a learner capacity, by the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) Information Officer II, or designated representative of the Authority, the Student Assistant (SA) will support the Stakeholder Management and Communication team by assisting with the execution of Authority events, drafting public outreach presentations and materials, and attending and monitoring public meetings. The SA will also assist with services related to the Business Administration Unit by performing supply inventory analysis, front desk coverage, and receiving and cataloging goods and supplies.
Engineering and Architectural Sciences Student Assistant – California High-Speed Rail Authority (Fresno, CA)
In a learner capacity, the Student Assistant will assist in a wide range of services relating to Program Delivery. The incumbent will assist with developing project plans, specifications, estimates, documents, reports, files, invoices, agreements and will assist with independent analysis of various types of temporary works.
Survey Intern – Dragados (Selma, CA)
As a survey intern working for Dragados, the incumbent will support field crews with interpreting drawings and specs, perform quantity calculations and measurement, assist in work planning and surveying. The incumbent will also perform office engineering duties such as material takeoffs and basic calculations, assist in procurement and maintenance, aid in project record keeping and cost reports, and assist with change orders and subcontractor operations.
Staff Services Manager I (Outreach manager) – California High-Speed Rail Authority (Sacramento, CA)
The Outreach Manager (SSM I) manages the Office of Strategic Communications’ Public Engagement and Outreach Unit. The Outreach Manager will be responsible for overseeing a variety of tasks associated with the Public Engagement and Outreach Unit, including the High Speed-Rail Authority’s (Authority) I Will Ride student outreach program, Authority participation in conferences, and tabling and stakeholder events at the local and statewide level. The Outreach Manager will coordinate Authority staff on outreach activities, including industry events and regional outreach events. The Outreach Manager also assists with sponsorships, speaker participation, and invitations to events.
California Transportation Foundation Scholarships
The California Transportation Foundation’s (CTF) mission is to educate the future of the transportation profession through scholarships, educational programs, mentoring and internships. To learn more about the various scholarship opportunities offered by CTF check out their website below.
| Stay Connected |
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The California High-Speed Rail Authority makes every effort to ensure the website and its contents meet mandated ADA requirements as per the California State mandated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA standard. If you are looking for a particular document not located on the California High-Speed Rail Authority website, you may make a request for the document under the Public Records Act through the Public Records Act page. If you have any questions about the website or its contents, please contact the Authority at info@hsr.ca.gov.