Caltrans plans Highway 99 daytime closures in Fresno March 3-4 for repairs

Caltrans closed the northbound Highway 99 onramp at North Avenue on Wednesday, March 3, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. for pavement repairs and is conducting pump‑plant maintenance Thursday, March 4, that will close the northbound Belmont Avenue onramp and the auxiliary southbound lane to just south of Tellman Avenue during the same 8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. work window.

The March 3 work targeted the North Avenue onramp where crews performed pavement repairs; Caltrans scheduled the closure as a daytime operation with lane controls and possible full closures within the maintenance area. The North Avenue work finished within the posted window, and travel impacts were confined to the northbound onramp and adjacent merge areas.

On Thursday, pump‑plant maintenance crews focused on the Belmont Avenue ramps and the auxiliary lane on southbound Highway 99, closing the northbound Belmont onramp and the auxiliary southbound lane from the Belmont onramp to just south of Tellman Avenue between 8:00 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Traffic management during the Belmont work included lane controls and temporary closures to allow equipment and crew access to the pump plant and shoulder work zones.

Caltrans provided contingency language for both days, noting: “Caltrans said closures may extend beyond the scheduled times if delays occur due to weather or uncontrollable events. The scheduled closures will proceed weather permitting.” Maintenance staff also issued a direct safety reminder: “Maintenance workers reminded motorists to drive with extra care and allow additional travel time while traveling in the maintenance area.”

The brief Highway 99 work is one element of multiple Caltrans operations across the region this week. An Instagram post flagged additional Fresno County activity: “FRESNO COUNTY: Lane and ramp closures scheduled for next week along State Route 99 and State Route 41 in Fresno County for asphalt pavement.” Separately, Caltrans crews have one‑way paving operations planned on Highway 180 near Hume Lake, and a large sinkhole forced the complete closure of Conyer Street in Visalia on Wednesday, March 4, with Visalia PD warning motorists to expect delays during school traffic hours.

Longer term, Caltrans is advancing the South Fresno State Route 99 Corridor project to reconstruct half interchanges at American Avenue and North Avenue into full interchanges and to close the ramps at Cedar Avenue. As the project page states, “The purpose of the South Fresno State Route 99 Corridor project is to improve traffic operations of the existing interchanges at American and North avenues and to bring the interchanges up to current standards.” The schedule shows project approval and final environmental clearance in January 2023, right of way certification and design completion for American Avenue by April 2027 and for North Avenue by January 2028, construction starts as early as December 2027 for American Avenue and September 2028 for North Avenue, and construction completion target dates in February 2030 and March 2031.

Motorists traveling through south Fresno should allow extra time during daytime hours and heed temporary closures and signage as Caltrans continues short‑term maintenance and prepares for the corridor reconstruction.