Tulare sits on State Route 99, roughly halfway between Bakersfield and Fresno. Located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, Tulare has been an important transportation center for crops, goods and vacationers headed for nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
A city of nearly 70,000, Tulare sits in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is working with Security Paving of Westlake Village to fix an important interchange in Tulare. The work on the International Agri-Center/Commercial Avenue Interchange is expected to ease congestion and improve safety along SR 99.
The construction team also plans to complete the $80 million job in the fall of 2026.
The project also will alleviate traffic issues on the nearby Paige Avenue interchange.
Caltrans District 6 representative Christian Lukens told Construction Equipment Guide the work will "improve traffic flow, enhance freight and local traffic and support economic growth." He added, "The project will also add modern safety features, including sidewalks, bike lanes and upgraded traffic management systems."
Improving Connectivity
"The new interchange will make it much easier for drivers and trucks to access SR 99, reducing congestion on nearby surface streets and improve traffic flow throughout the area," Lukens said. "It also enhances east-west connectivity, which is vital for daily commuters and for truckers moving freight and agricultural goods, a key component of Tulare County's economy."
The construction team gained insight on the work plan after interacting with the public, as strong feedback favored preserving the Paige Avenue Interchange. During work on the new interchange at Commercial Avenue, the team kept Paige Avenue ramps open. The approach was strongly advocated for by the city of Tulare and other government entities.
The contracting team factored in some local events when planning construction. Tulare hosted the World Ag Expo in an area adjacent to the project. This event delayed the project by two months while getting a Federal Aviation Administration permit delayed the project an additional two months.
The project also took some steps regarding the environment.
"The work will lower greenhouse gas by reducing congestion and vehicle idling on the busy SR 99 corridor," Lukens said. "The project also supports greener travel options by adding 2.6 miles of new bike lanes and 1.4 miles of sidewalks, making it easier for people to walk and to bike."
Security Paving has used 80,000 tons of asphalt and 19,000 cu. yds. of concrete on the project. The construction team has used 60,000 lbs. of steel and moved 195,000 lbs. of dirt. The team used post-tensioned tendons to control deflections in the concrete while maintaining its strength in the bridge.
"Before we started, this was empty farmland; we had to drill pilings about 45 feet deep to support the bridge," TJ Mattivi, central division area manager for Security Paving, told Construction Equipment Guide. "We built a cast-in-place bridge. Since it was a new bridge, we did not have to manage traffic, so the work was accomplished quickly."
The new bridge will be 132 ft. across and 250 ft. long. Workers will construct two 12-ft.-wide lanes in each direction, median island shoulders and bike lanes on either side. Colored textured concrete will add a distinctive visual element to the work.
Workers have relied on standard equipment for the project, including articulated trucks, bulldozers, excavators, scrapers, front-end loaders, skid steers, rollers and paving machines.
The construction team used smart-traffic technology to improve traffic flow on SR 99 near the project. This included real-time traffic monitoring and ramp metering systems.
The construction team crafted a detailed safety plan for the work to protect both motorists and workers. The plan included lining up a detour of SR 99 onto local streets while the workers were installing and removing falseworks.
Mattivi believes that motorists will notice the difference when the project is complete, especially during the International Agri Center Expo, which often attracts 100,000 people.
"In the past, traffic would be backed up for miles during the Expo," he said. "This project and the newly configured interchange will make these transitions smooth and keep traffic moving along SR 99."
