BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The High-Speed Rail Authority gave an update to the Bakersfield community regarding the latest plans for the state's bullet train, set to run right through town.
- While the Authority was able to answer many questions regarding the project, one local company wants to know if this newest timeline will be their last.
- The rail has boosted work for various areas including Northwest Metrology, a calibration lab serving Kern County and beyond since 1991. While the project has kept them busy, it's also kept them unsure of the future.
The High-Speed Rail Authority gave an update to the Bakersfield community regarding the latest plans for the state's bullet train, set to run right through town.
While the Authority was able to answer many questions regarding the project, one local company wants to know if this newest timeline will be their last.
"We do a lot of work for the state so overall it is a net positive for us, but it is scary," said Roger Rodriguez of Northwest Metrology.
The rail has boosted work for various areas including Northwest Metrology, a calibration lab serving Kern County and beyond since 1991. While the project has kept them busy. It's also kept them unsure of the future.
"It's kind of daunting it's like oh my god am I going to be able to keep people employed," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez has been with Northwest Metrology for a decade now and is currently in the process of taking over the company. He said becoming a business owner has been exciting but nerve-racking thanks to the rail.
While the line won't go through their lab, it's close enough to affect their calibrations, meaning they'll have to move, a process Rodriguez said could take up to two years.
"I know it takes some time for the state to get things done, so it is just overall frustrating because of the timeline," he said.
The Bakersfield High-Speed Rail Station will be located at the intersection of Golden State Avenue and F Street. The station site is bounded by State Route 204, Stine Canal, Chester Avenue, and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
When the project was first approved in 2008, it was expected to be completed by 2020. When 2020 arrived, the Authority said the expected completion timeline for the starter line was 2029. Officials project costs, inflation, land acquisition, and legal challenges among the various causes for delays.
Rodriguez said they've been attentive to the plans given the impact to their lab.
"Sometimes we get heavy traffic and that affects our scales and some of our more sensitive equipment and we have to put everything on hold," he said.
While they've been able to continue operations, they — like many others — are eager to see the project completed and soon.
The Authority said the latest estimated completion timeless is between 2030 and 2033. According to the renderings of the Bakersfield station, it'll include various vendors and furnishings leading up to the platform.
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