8 miles of Highway 41 to close for months, Caltrans says. Here’s recommended detour
A section of Highway 41 in Kings County that carries San Joaquin Valley residents to the coast will close for five months of road work, Caltrans said Friday.
More than 8 miles of Highway 41 in Kettleman City will close in both directions starting Feb. 26, the California Department of Transportation said.
Highway 41 near Kettleman City is a common route for people from the Fresno area who are headed to the coast for destinations like Pismo Beach, Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.
The road work is meant to resurface and restore the highway between Quail and Nevada avenues to extend its life, officials said in a news release. The length of the closure could be extended depending on weather.
Caltrans recommended commuters who might normally use that stretch of highway detour using Highway 198 in the Lemoore area to reach Interstate 5, which connects to Highway 41 south of the road work in Kettleman City.
Those who live locally were expected to have access to local roads. Caltrans said the road work will be marked by signs.
Kings River Bridge work and detour
At the same time, Caltrans already began work to replace Kings River Bridge, which is part of Highway 41 north of the Kettleman City construction. The same detour suggested by Caltrans applies to those who may pass through the area.
The bridge built in 1942 was widened in 1987, and the latest work looks to reinforce the bridge and address seismic deficiencies, Caltrans said.
The bridge work began Feb. 5, Caltrans said.
This story was originally published February 17, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
