The Finish the 99 Coalition (comprised of the Madera County Transportation Commission (MCTC), the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG), Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) and dozens of statewide, regional, and local business, labor, and community groups) proudly announces the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved $62.7 million in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) funding to support the Tulare SR 99 Corridor and Paige Avenue Multimodal Interchange Enhancements project.
In October 2024, the project received $98.04 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) program. With this award, the project is now fully funded and can proceed to construction.
The project marks a major step forward towards the goal of finishing SR 99 and will enhance freight mobility, roadway safety, and equitable access on one of California’s most important transportation corridors.
“This investment is a testament to what can be achieved when federal, state, and local partners align around a shared vision for safer, cleaner, and more equitable infrastructure,” said Robert Poythress, Madera County Supervisor. “It will deliver meaningful benefits to the entire San Joaquin Valley and support regional and statewide economic competitiveness.”
Led by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in partnership with TCAG, the project will:
- Widen SR 99 from four to six lanes over 5.4 miles in the City of Tulare,
- Reconstruct the outdated Paige Avenue interchange, replacing signalized intersections with modern roundabouts,
- Install Complete Streets elements, including 10-foot-wide shared-use paths, new sidewalks, and protected pedestrian and bike connections,
- Expand vanpool and transit options to offset Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and reduce emissions, and
- Implement noise mitigation through sound walls.
“This project is a game-changer for Tulare County,” said Rudy Mendoza, Mayor, City of Woodlake. “It will not only improve traffic flow and safety on one of our most critical freight corridors, but also expand transportation options for our residents, connect our communities more effectively, and improve air quality for generations to come.”
The project will provide a wide variety of benefits, including:
- By reducing traffic congestion and idling along SR 99 and Paige Avenue, the project cuts greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions in nearby neighborhoods – many of which are disadvantaged communities.
- The reconfiguration of Paige Avenue with roundabouts will eliminate signalized delays, improve traffic flow, and reduce freight bottlenecks.
- Roundabouts are a proven safety countermeasure that significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions.
- Additional SR 99 lanes will improve safety for merging vehicles and facilitate more reliable movement of goods throughout the San Joaquin Valley and beyond.
- The project enhances low-cost, multimodal transportation options by creating safer routes for walking, biking, and accessing transit.
- It strengthens east-west connections across SR 99 and links residents to jobs, goods, services, and health care facilities, especially for those without access to a car.
- The project avoids residential displacement, and mitigation funds will expand vanpool and transit options to fully offset VMT increases.
SR 99 is part of the National Highway Freight Network and serves as a critical link between California’s ports, agricultural centers, and metropolitan markets. The Tulare SR 99 project will improve performance, safety, and environmental sustainability along this vital corridor.
“This is an investment in the future of the San Joaquin Valley – supporting our vibrant agricultural sector and farm-to-market needs, reducing emissions, and creating safer, more inclusive mobility for all,” said Daron McDaniel, Supervisor, Merced County.
For more information about the SR 99 Corridor and Paige Avenue project, visit: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-6/district-6-projects/06-48950
For more about the 2024 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program, visit: https://catc.ca.gov