Date: May 11, 2010
District: 6 – Fresno
Contact: Jose Camarena, Caltrans
Phone: (559) 488-4067
Or
Brenda Lauchner, Fresno COG
(559) 233-4148, ext. 219. www.measurec.com or www.fresnocog.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FINAL FUNDING SECURED FOR “BRAIDED RAMPS” PROJECT IN FRESNO METROPOLITAN AREA
Fresno – Today, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in partnership with the Council of Fresno County Governments (Fresno COG) and the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) announced $55 million in newly secured funding which will bring mobility improvements to State Route (SR) 180 between SR’s 41 and 168.
Commuters in the Fresno Metropolitan Area are more than familiar with traffic along State Route (SR) 180 between SR’s 41 and 168. Daily traffic congestion and delays during morning and evening commutes are caused by vehicles merging onto SR180 from SR41 and/or SR168, and the traffic already on SR 180. Converging streams of commuters become entwined in a dance of braking, dodging, darting vehicles that is enough to rattle even the most experienced driver’s nerves.
“Caltrans is working hand-in-hand with Fresno’s COG and the FCTA to ensure tax dollars are utilized quickly and responsibly to help stimulate our local economy, reduce congestion and further invest in Fresno County’s transportation infrastructure,” said Caltrans District 6 Director Malcolm X. Dougherty.
The Braided Ramps Project, which will receive $55 million in funding from Caltrans’ State Highway Operation & Protection Program (SHOPP) and an additional $14.5 million from Fresno County’s Measure C, will reduce traffic congestion and delays along this system of interlocking freeways by eliminating as many merging and transition conflicts as possible in order to get motorists safely and efficiently from one area of town to another.
Trinidad Rodriguez, Fresno COG Policy Board Chairman, stated, “This is yet another example of projects being delivered faster thanks to Fresno Voters and Measure C sales tax dollars. Thanks to this effort $55 million is now available for other regional transportation projects, and the Braided Ramps Project will likely be completed years ahead of our original schedule making this Ground Zero for Mobility in Fresno County”
