3 Fresno businesses to be acquired by city for rail crossing project

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The Fresno City Council has approved the acquisition of three central Fresno businesses for a railway project.

A new rail crossing is planned around McKinley and Blackstone avenues.

The project will place the roadway underneath the tracks to decrease the number of accidents.

To complete the work, the rail line has determined it would need to remove Eddie’s Auto World, Taco Bell, and Auto Sales and Detailing.

One property owner says it’s been a struggle to find a new location for his business that’s been on that corner for nearly 35 years.

“There’s not a lot of properties available that we can move to that can keep the business going right away and not take a step back for a year or two years,” said Erik Honarchian, owner of Eddie’s Auto World.

The city is working with each property owner to continue negotiations.

The council authorized eminent domain proceedings for all three businesses.

The design for the $80 million project will be finalized and approved by the end of next year.

Construction would begin in the spring of 2026 and be completed by 2029.