Can one project help curb street racing, improve river access in Fresno? Here’s the plan
Fresno elected officials said Wednesday they would add a traffic light to a busy north Fresno intersection to improve traffic safety and speed up the construction of access points to the San Joaquin River.
Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi pledged $1 million for infrastructure at the San Joaquin River Parkway, including a traffic light at West Audubon Drive and North Del Mar Avenue.
“The city of Fresno wants to show Sacramento how committed we really are locally to this project,” he said during a news conference at Spano Park. “Pedestrians and drivers will be safer as one of the first pieces of the river access puzzle will be put in place.”
The San Joaquin River Conservancy already secured about $10 million to build the access points and further develop the parkway. The city, which will oversee construction, will apply for the funding. City officials estimated a groundbreaking would occur in about 18 months.
The vision for public access to the San Joaquin River, including restoration and protection, has been in the works for decades and formalized through legislation, a nonprofit benefit corporation, and even lawsuits. The goal is to maintain 22 miles of recreational greenery along the San Joaquin River from Millerton Lake and Friant Dam down to Highway 99.
Karbassi and fellow city leaders, including Mayor Jerry Dyer, Council President Luis Chavez and City Manager Thomas Esqueda, pledged their full commitment to making public access a reality. They were joined by Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, who made the same pledge.
The traffic light is badly needed, Karbassi said, since Audubon Drive has become a “race track” over the years for street racers and speeders.
Partnering with other agencies is a way to prioritize putting in the stoplight, he said. The plan for river access already called for that signal, he said.
Dyer committed to putting in the traffic signal before river access is built.
Costa led the effort to form the Conservancy during his time in the state Assembly in the early 1990s. He said Wednesday he’d like to hold a community workshop for residents to learn more about the Parkway’s history and what’s next.
Costa stressed that cooperation between elected officials, such as what was displayed Wednesday, was necessary for momentum for the project.
“That’s the key,” he said.
This story was originally published May 5, 2021 at 6:50 PM.