County, city support widening of part of SR 99 in Madera

The Madera County Board of Supervisors and the Madera City Council have approved letters in support of the Madera County Transportation Commission Trade Corridor Enhancement Program Grant Application.

The grant application request is for funding for the construction phase of widening the State Route 99 from four lanes to six lanes from Avenue 12 to Avenue 17 in the city of Madera.

The objective of the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program is to fund infrastructure improvements on federally designated trade corridors of national and regional significance. The program will provide approximately $300 million per year in state funding for projects which more efficiently enhance the movement of goods along corridors that have a high freight volume.

“I have served on MCTC for nearly seven years, and during that time have only seen the need to expand 99 grow!” said Board of Supervisors chair Tom Wheeler. “I am excited to see this finally moving forward, and appreciate staff and our community partners for their dedication to this effort.” Madera County produced over $1.6 billion in crops, including almonds, grapes, pistachios, and cattle this past year.

“Madera County recognizes that SR99 is not only a way our constituents move through the county, it is a vital trade corridor for our agricultural economy,” said District 3 Supervisor Rob Poythress. “With billions of dollars of Ag commerce that rely on this corridor, it is essential to provide quick and efficient methods to export our products.”

The Madera County Transportation Commission is the Regional Transportation Planning Agency and the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for Madera County. Madera County Transportation Commission’s role is to foster intergovernmental coordination, undertake comprehensive regional planning with an emphasis on transportation issues, and provide a forum for citizen input into the planning process.