Major roadwork begins on Highway 41 in Madera County. How long will it last?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Project will span more than four miles between Avenue 10 1/2 and Avenue 15.
- The project will expand highway to four lanes and add other improvements.
- Construction is phased and is expected to continue through May 2028 with updates online.
Construction has begun on a major project that will widen and improve Highway 41 in Madera County — a corridor with a growing population and a major route for millions of Yosemite National Park visitors each year.
At a cost of $130 million, the Highway 41 Expressway Project is the “largest transportation improvement project” in the county’s history, according to a Tuesday news release from the county. It will span more than four miles between Avenue 10 1/2 and Avenue 15.
The entire stretch will have four lanes when the project is finished. There will also be a new southbound bridge built over Avenue 11. New turn lanes will be added at Avenues 12 and 15, where traffic signals will be improved and modified.
“The project is expected to reduce congestion, improve travel times, and accommodate future residential and commercial growth along the corridor,” the news release says.
The Highway 41 corridor in southeast Madera County has experienced a population boom in recent years because of the rise of the Riverstone and Tesoro Viejo master-planned communities, each of which has drawn thousands of new residents to the county over the past decade.
Commercial opportunities are also expected to grow along the highway. Riverstone, Tesoro Viejo and Valley Children’s Hospital all have commercial development plans for the corridor.
County officials have been planning the highway’s expansion for years. They previously told The Fresno Bee the county is paying for the project with federal dollars, road impact fees charged to developers and property tax revenues generated by development at Riverstone and Tesoro Viejo.
Madera County HWY 41 project timeline, new website for updates
Construction will be phased and is expected to last until May 2028, according to the county’s news release.
The county also announced it has launched a website, 41expressway.com, to provide updates about the project in real time.
The website says no daytime lane closures are currently anticipated, but it’s possible there will be short-term closures at Avenues 14, 14 1/2 and 15.
“Advance notice will be provided prior to any closures or traffic impacts,” the site says. “Detour routes and traffic control measures will be in place during active construction activities.”
