A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today by California High-Speed Rail Authority and the City of Fresno for the opening of the new Tuolumne Street Bridge.

The completion of the bridge marks the first finished structure for the California high-speed rail program. In January 2016, the original bridge in downtown Fresno was destroyed. The new bridge was rebuilt to be three feet taller and the highest point was moved to the west which created space for high-speed trains and Union Pacific Railroad. The new bridge was made to accommodate the high-speed rail system and for two-way traffic to support the improvement of downtown Fresno’s city core. The bridge now includes wider pedestrian walkways and bike paths.

Related: Revised Routes For Portion Of California High-Speed Rail Project Would Bypass Santa Clarita

Forty-two giant steel and concrete girders were placed on the Tuolumne Street Bridge. The bridge’s 149-foot long girders were made in Lathrop by Con-Fab California and weigh more than 166,200 pounds (approximately  83 tons). About 40,000 tons of concrete and steel from the demolition of the original bridge were recycled, and over 15 small businesses worked on the project.

After the ceremony, a parade of vintage cars from local business owner John Lawson, patrol cars from the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno Police Department and fire trucks from the Fresno Fire Department made its first trip down the bridge.

The construction of the high-speed rail line in the Central Valley stretches over 119 miles between the Silicon Valley and Central Valley, and passenger service is planned to begin in 2025.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority launched an interactive website for quick and easy access to information about the construction underway in the Central Valley called BuildHSR.com . This website features an interactive construction map and updates on a regular basis with road and construction alerts, photos, videos, construction milestones and events. For more information visit WWW.HSR.CA.GOV.

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