California High-Speed Rail

WSP USA served as the rail delivery partner for the first high-speed rail system under construction in the U.S. and has developed new railway standards for high-speed rail in the country.

One of the largest, most ambitious public transportation programs in U.S. history, the California high-speed rail system will allow passengers to travel from Los Angeles and Anaheim to San Francisco at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour (and, eventually, will extend to Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 800 miles with up to 24 stations), making the trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles under three hours, compared to upwards of six to eight hours by automobile. The system will connect California’s megaregions, contribute to economic development and opportunity, support the state’s climate change policies and initiatives, and preserve agricultural and protected lands.

WSP worked with state staff to help shape high-speed rail in California from the earliest feasibility studies in the 1990s to planning for future operations, most recently, as the Authority’s rail delivery partner (RDP).

The RDP role built on WSP’s previous work as the Authority’s program management team. In this earlier role, WSP coordinated the activities of more than 35 subconsultants, prepared the statewide program-level Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement, and produced the full suite of technical memoranda comprising 130 program-wide technical guidance documents; technical requirements; a 1,400-page design criteria manual; and standards and directives.

Representing our Client

As the rail delivery partner for the Authority, WSP helped lay the foundation for the first 119 miles of the system and has been integral in advancing development of the full 500 miles that will eventually make up the system.

Addressing Known Challenges

The California high-speed rail system is the first truly high-speed rail system to be planned, designed and advanced in the nation. In taking on this challenge, the Authority broke new ground and will continue to set precedents for other high-speed rail systems in the U.S.

The Authority is committed to creating the greenest infrastructure project in the nation, both in its operations and its construction. The Authority received national recognition in December 2020 for the program’s sustainability efforts. The Envision Platinum rating was awarded by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, a non-profit organization founded by the American Public Works Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Council of Engineering Companies. The California high-speed rail project is the largest transportation infrastructure project both in terms of capital investment and geographic area to earn an Envision award for sustainable infrastructure to date.

The magnitude of the project presents atypical challenges compared to other complex infrastructure projects, including:

Funding and financing
Environmental clearances
Right-of-Way acquisition
Long, deep tunnels through seismic areas

Implementation of high-speed rail in California will connect the state with a modern, integrated statewide rail system and:

Establish vital new economic links between California’s economic megaregions
Create employment and educational opportunities for Californians
Improve air quality and support the state’s climate change initiatives
Preserve agricultural land, protect the environment and promote sustainable communities
Create an opportunity to use the dedicated high-speed rail corridor to achieve broader public benefits