Drivers on Highway 99 between Madera and Fresno will face ongoing traffic congestion due to significant construction projects. The current $24 million project involves replacing aging bridges over Cottonwood Creek and expanding the highway to six lanes, which has already resulted in detours and closures for nearly two years. A subsequent larger project set to begin next year will further exacerbate traffic issues, indicating that commuters may face delays well into the future, according to Caltrans representatives.
The $24 million project to replace Highway 99's three aging bridges over Cottonwood Creek, just south of Avenue 12, is expected for completion this spring. Johnson said crews were replacing the bridges on the northbound and southbound lanes, and also adding a lane to each side of the highway.
Highway 99 commuters in Madera County have already dealt with the traffic impacts from construction for several years now. A completed project that began in 2019 expanded Highway 99 to six lanes between Avenues 12 and 17, through the city of Madera.
Expect that project to impact commutes, as well. The current project, a replacement of aging bridges over Cottonwood Creek that has spanned almost two years, has caused the months-long closure of the northbound Avenue 12 off-ramp and miles-long detours for northbound drivers traveling east to Madera Community College.
It's going to be very time consuming, said Caltrans spokesperson Larry Johnson. But another, much larger project is slated to begin just south of there next year - meaning the miserable traffic congestion seen during peak commute times is unlikely to end for the foreseeable future.
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