Commission approves program for State Route 99 Widening Project

At its December meeting, the California Transportation Commission awarded Caltrans and Madera County Transportation Comission $4,659,000 in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program funding for the right of way and capital support of the Madera South Widening Project ($1,864,000 from statewide TCEP funds and $2,795,000 from regional corridor TCEP funds).

The project is on State Route 99 in Madera County from south of the Avenue 7 to north of the Avenue 12. Enhancement of this section of SR 99, which travels through southern Madera County, is needed to improve truck freight mobility and travel time reliability, preserve acceptable facility operation, improve safety, and reduce congestion.

As a regionally significant component of the national goods movement network, the widening of this section of SR 99 Project will provide the following benefits:

• Improve safety

• Reduce congestion

• Improve the flow of goods and services for the region and the State and provide the catalyst for regional and local generation of jobs

• Improve greenhouse gas emissions

Four years ago, the Madera County region was hit hard by a funding shortfall from the 2016 State Transportation Improvement Program. The gas tax revenue established by SB 1 allowed the CTC to restore many projects that were cut, including the SR 99 mobility projects in Madera County.

“The residents of Madera County are very pleased to learn about the approval of the TCEP grant,” said Madera County Supervisor Robert Poythress. “This funding is a positive step toward the completion of the SR 99 improvements between Ave 12 and Ave 7. The improved freeway will substantially increase traffic safety, lower emissions caused by gridlock, and provide more efficient and effective movement of goods and services.”

A link to the California Transportation Staff Report is available on the Commission’s website, here (Tab 22): https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/ctc-meetings/2020/2020-12/000-eta.pdf.

The Madera County Transportation Commission is comprised of the cities of Chowchilla, Madera, and Madera County. MCTC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Regional Transportation Planning Agency and the Transportation Authority for the Madera Region. MCTC addresses regional transportation issues.