Caltrans to Close Northbound Highway 41 No. 2 Lane and Offramp Friday

Caltrans scheduled targeted maintenance on State Route 41 that closed the No. 2 lane on northbound Highway 41 between Central Avenue and North Avenue and shut the northbound offramp at North Avenue on Friday, Feb. 26, 2026. Work was slated to run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Caltrans warned the lane and exit could remain blocked through the afternoon.

Caltrans said, "From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the No. 2 lane on northbound Highway 41 at Central Avenue to North Avenue will be closed for maintenance. The northbound Highway 41 offramp at North Avenue also will be closed during the work." The closure removed one travel lane on the northbound corridor that carries commuters through central Fresno near the Tower District and business strips along North and Central avenues.

The agency described the work as routine pavement and shoulder repairs and asked drivers to plan alternate routes. Caltrans reminded motorists that "road maintenance personnel will be present, and motorists are urged to slow down in the construction area" and urged drivers to "use caution in the work zone and allow extra travel time." The maintenance window was intended to limit disruption during peak weekday hours, but crews were prepared for on-site traffic control and signage.

Caltrans included contingency language for weather and delays. Officials said, "Closures may last longer if weather or other delays occur," and Fresno traffic notices stated that "the Highway 41 lane and exit are slated to remain blocked to traffic until 2 p.m. Friday, Caltrans said," while noting that "closures may continue for longer" in some circumstances. Motorists traveling northbound on Highway 41 toward downtown Fresno and the Fig Garden area were advised to factor those contingencies into commutes on Friday afternoon.

Communications accompanying the advisory included a page photo credited as ANTHONY SITE PHOTO and a Shutterstock image caption noting the portion of Highway 41 closed for repairs on Feb. 26. A separate Caltrans Facebook traffic advisory fragment referenced pavement maintenance this week affecting SR-41 and SR-99 with a Thursday item listed at 8:00, but the post was truncated in the public excerpt and the Thursday schedule for SR-99 could not be confirmed from the available notice.

Caltrans' maintenance teams completed targeted pavement and shoulder work in the Central-to-North Avenue stretch with traffic controls in place; motorists should expect similar intermittent closures elsewhere if crews invoke contingency plans due to weather or unexpected delays.