Caltrans breaks ground on $71 million Visalia highway overhaul

Caltrans officials and local leaders gathered on Friday in Visalia to break ground on a major reconstruction of the Caldwell Avenue Interchange on Highway 99. The event marked the start of construction on a project that has been in planning for more than 25 years. The total cost of the work exceeds $71 million.

The interchange project faced years of delays before reaching the build phase. Michael Navarro, the director of Caltrans District 6, credited the progress to a coalition of funding partners. He noted that Measure R, federal grants, and state dollars all contributed to the budget. Navarro stated that the project became viable through collaboration with TCAG, Tulare County, and the City of Visalia.

Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend emphasized the long history of community effort behind the plan. He observed that people had been working on the issue before he took office. Townsend said, 'The good news is that everybody collaborated that whole time even before some people here were born, people were working on it.'

The upgrades aim to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety across the highway. Planned changes include installing roundabouts at ramp intersections and building new overcrossing structures. Auxiliary lanes will also be added to the roadway. Navarro called the design a first for the district in the valley, as it uses roundabouts for traffic control at each ramp.

Townsend predicted the new infrastructure would bring economic benefits to nearby areas. He said the improvements would help move people from the west side and center of the city into communities like Farmersville and Exeter. Officials expect the construction to be completed in the summer of 2028.