Over $80M will help improve roads in Tulare and Kings counties

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Road work in Tulare and Kings counties has been underway for months and even more plans to help improve portions of local highways are also in the works.

On Friday, Caltrans announced over $80 million going towards projects in the coming months.

Funding includes $52 million for portions on highway 190 in Tulare County and a million dollars for parts of I-5 in Kings County- near Lost Hills.

$27.5 Million will go towards The City of Tulare Rehab Project- which will help improve the roadway from Paige to Prosperity Avenues.

"You're looking at road rehabilitation. So getting to work on the roadway itself. Upgraded lighting. Some of the signage is going to be removed and replaced. There's gonna be drainage systems worked on," said Christian Lukens with Caltrans District 6.

This is one of many projects the city is looking forward to.

More recently, roadwork is in progress for a new interchange headed to the Agri-center.

And, improvements along Highway 99 include the exit on Jaye Street.

Plus, plans to expand the four-lane highway to six lanes in Tulare.

"Streets are being made from nothing, and it's really fun to see wow the surveying is being done, the grading is being done, they are actually laying the roadway now and we are gonna have a front row seat to be able to watch this major project. Going all the way from 0-100," mentioned Josh McDonnell, the Assistant City Manager of Tulare.

He says improvements will help boost the local economy, and accommodate the growing population by providing more local jobs.

"Tulare is already growing by leaps and bounds, but it's just another feather in Tulare's cap for expansion and for creating new jobs that are going to help our graduates when they graduate high school, when they graduate college, they can stay here, live here, work here, play here, pray here, you got it," explained Josh.

These projects aren't expected to be done for another two years.

For a list on the latest and current Caltrans projects across the Central Valley, visit here.

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