The piling equipment was in place and ready to drive a 40-foot concrete column into the ground. Just beyond the rig this winter afternoon, trucks and cars continued to stream down State Route 198 in Hanford, separated from the construction site by a white partition.

And the pile driving began. With the rhythmic beat of a metronome, the rig's hammer slammed the pillar into the ground with each foot. The ground shook with each blow and exhaust fumes spewed out. The beam would be added to a network of columns driven deep into the earth to create the foundations for high-speed rail, and years later it would slide along railroad tracks above state highways, leading to California's central It will usher in a new era for the valley. .

From earthmoving equipment to large trucks hauling giant beams to bulldozers removing piles of debris, construction work related to California's high-speed rail projects is visibly visible throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Further north, workers were working on an overpass that carries high-speed rail over an existing freight line that crosses the state from north to south. And in Fresno's Chinatown, restaurant and retail owners are eagerly responding to a steady influx of construction workers, engineers and electricians, part of a broader transformation of the city's downtown and economic outlook. It is.

High-speed rail in California may still be a controversial topic in some political circles, but it's quickly becoming a reality for Central Valley residents. The agricultural region has historically been separated from Los Angeles, San Francisco and the California coast by both conservative politics and physical distance, but infrastructure is being built with tens of billions of dollars in state and federal funding. They will be the first to benefit from the project.

The 171-mile line between Merced and Bakersfield could be operational as early as 2030, with bullet train testing expected to begin in 2028, according to the High Speed ​​Rail Authority. The project will create more than 12,000 construction jobs, 70% of which will come from the Central Valley. Officials listed 25 active construction sites, with the Kings/Tulare station outside Hanford being the largest. Officials are nearing completion of 32 miles of railroad north of Shafter. The first section of the railway is completed.

In December, the Biden administration granted the authority. $3.1 billion in grants, the authority's biggest award to date. The funds will go toward purchasing his six-car train for testing and use, designing and building the Fresno station, and designing extensions to the Merced and Bakersfield stations.

Residents and local officials acknowledge there has long been opposition to the plan. Some large agricultural interests in the region have sparked fierce opposition and rallied conservative MPs to their cause. But as more jobs are created and structures are strengthened, the tenor of the conversation has changed.

When Interstate 5 was envisioned in the mid-20th century as a major transportation corridor connecting California from north to south, Central Valley interests were not part of the equation. The route bypassed the rural western edge of the valley, excluding the major population centers of Fresno, Modesto, and Bakersfield. In contrast, high-speed rail passes through the heart of the valley, with Fresno and Bakersfield serving as important transportation hubs along the route.

The first operating section of high-speed rail will run from Bakersfield in the south to Merced in the north. The vision is to eventually expand the service to Los Angeles and San Francisco. But even before these planned expansions, the rail line will intersect with Merced's existing passenger rail and Bakersfield's satellite bus networks, creating a more seamless non-automobile travel option.

Local officials believe connectivity opens up all kinds of possibilities. The idea is that housing will be relatively affordable, making it easier for people to continue working on the coast while living inland. Access to jobs, especially non-agricultural jobs, and access to top universities will expand. And in areas with severe shortages of hospitals and medical professionals, there will be more options.

“To say I'm excited is an understatement,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer (R). “High-speed rail is a game-changer for Fresno and the Central Valley in many ways. Number one is that it reconnects Fresno and the entire Valley with the rest of the state and connects us to the California economy.”

Alex Lee cooks raw fish at Central Fish Company. Central Fish Company is one of several businesses that have been operating in Fresno's Chinatown for years, hoping to benefit from high-speed rail construction.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Fresno's Chinatown has a rich history of diverse communities brought together by redlining policies.

Back in the 1860s, Chinese immigrants who worked on the freight railroads were forced to move west of the tracks. Most non-white people moved to what would become Chinatown, and a thriving community developed as people from Africa, the Philippines, Mexico, and Japan settled in the area. All of this began to unravel for him in the 1960s, when urban renewal projects brought highway construction, cutting off Chinatown from the rest of the city and forcing mass evacuations of residents. . Businesses were closed, buildings were abandoned, and those who survived lived in an epidemic.

Founded in 1950, Central Fish Company is one of the oldest companies in existence. Owner Morgan Doizaki, who inherited the store from his parents, is a big supporter of the rail project. Along with other business and property owners, he founded Chinatown His Fresno Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports rail lines and advocates for the inclusion of neighborhoods in Fresno's transformation. The Fresno station will be built on the site of the city's historic train depot in downtown, and related improvements, including roads and sidewalks, will connect commuters to Chinatown.

Central Fish Company employee Orlando Viloria envisions using high-speed rail for regular day trips to visit family in Los Angeles.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Large-scale reconstruction is not without its challenges. Carniceria y Taqueria La Nueva Reina, which has been serving traditional Mexican food on Tulare Street for more than a decade, has hung a large, colorful banner to let people know it remains open. Ta. To get inside, patrons must weave through bright orange netting and avoid chipped sidewalks and large machinery. Owner Reyna Cruz has lost some of her old customers, but she says she's also getting new business from construction workers who stop by for lunch or drinks during breaks. Told. “There are good times and there are bad times,” she said Monday afternoon as employees rushed to buy sodas.

Doizaki said Central Fish Company customers have to navigate through a maze of road closures that can sometimes make the store crowded. Still, he's hopeful. In 2019, he purchased a building in Chinatown and envisions turning it into an apartment and retail complex.

“When the time is right, we will be in a position to take advantage of the largest project ever launched in our state right in our backyard,” he said. “It's like a gift.”

Orlando Viloria, who works at Doizaki, is also excited about the railway's future. He takes a day trip to Los Angeles to see his family and imagines his family rushing to see him. “It's always been my dream,” he said. “I can't wait.”

Domaris Sid, a Fresno City College student, said high-speed rail will greatly expand education and job options for Fresno's youth.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Fresno City College student Domaris Sid is one of the young residents who sees an opportunity to expand their educational options while living at home. Although she loves her hometown for its hiking trails and riverside parks along the San Joaquin River, she feels the lack of diverse educational institutions is limiting. Told.

“It really sucks that I have to leave the valley to get the education I want,” said Sid, 18. Thanks to high-speed rail, she may be able to attend UC Merced or the University of California, she said. Berkeley plans to continue his studies in political science. “You don't have to leave a place you really love.”

Not all Fresno residents are fans. Sid's aunt, Marina Covarrubias, said increased connectivity with other parts of California means more people will be looking to buy homes in Fresno, which will result in higher housing costs and less demand for local residents. One person is concerned that prices could rise. “I don't think big cities are going to complain about that,” Covarrubias said. “It will be us.”

Mayor Dyer acknowledged there will be a steep learning curve in navigating the state's first high-speed rail project, not to mention construction disruptions and noise. He said he plans to visit Tokyo later this year to understand how Japanese leaders have revamped the city to take advantage of high-speed rail, ensuring Fresno becomes a “destination.” Ta.

“There's short-term pain and long-term gain,” he says. “We're the largest metropolitan area in all of Central California, so it's largely up to us to lead the way.”

Aerial view of the Hanford High Speed ​​Rail Viaduct construction site.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Bakersfield Deputy Mayor Andre Gonzalez remembers the chorus of opposition when the state first proposed high-speed rail. Many area farmers objected to the state's use of prominent territory to purchase land for this route. And early contract mismanagement and lax oversight led to delays and soaring costs that opponents called profiteering.

But as the pile drivers are being driven and the project is taking shape, Gonzalez said, “What I'm hearing now is that high-speed rail could be an asset and a benefit to our region. That's true.''

A majority of California voters agree and view high-speed rail favorably, according to a 2022 poll by the Institute for Governmental Research at the University of California, Berkeley, and The Times. The poll found that 56% of voters support the state's current plan.

In Bakersfield, a high-speed rail station is the centerpiece of a plan to revitalize a downtown core that has been left moribund by suburban service. For nearly a decade, city leaders have been trying to revive the city.

Gonzalez said they see an opportunity to increase housing stock near the station and create jobs related to rail operations, while also significantly reducing the commute for many residents who live in Bakersfield and work in Los Angeles. He said he thinks there is an opportunity. Once Bakersfield Station is completed, officials plan to establish it as a regional hub with dedicated bus service to Los Angeles until the rail system is extended.

As a “pro-growth, pro-development, pro-business guy,” Hanford Deputy Mayor Mark Kailis sees the potential for high-speed rail as an economic driver for his town of 58,000 people, and he believes more He said people want to use high-speed rail. You can call Hanford home because it's embedded in the high-speed line's path.

“The train is coming. We have a choice: to ride or to wait and watch the train go by,” Kailis said. “We all know it's coming. It's kind of exciting to see it and to know what it brings us.”