$71.7 Million Highway 99 Caldwell Avenue Interchange Project Breaks Ground Near Visalia

VISALIA AREA, Tulare County — Local officials and Caltrans have marked the start of the $71.7 million Caldwell Avenue interchange project at State Route 99 near Visalia, a long-awaited transportation upgrade aimed at improving traffic movement and safety.

The Tulare County Resource Management Agency posted the groundbreaking announcement on October 30, 2026. Representatives of the county, Caltrans and regional transportation agencies attended the event. The interchange connects Visalia-area traffic and freight routes with the north-south Highway 99 corridor.

What is expected to change?

Project information describes plans to reconstruct interchange elements and improve the handling of vehicles entering and leaving Highway 99. The design includes roundabouts at ramp intersections and improvements to overcrossing and ramp connections. Those design elements are proposals for work in progress and should not be reported as completed infrastructure.

The project is intended to reduce congestion and improve regional access for drivers moving between Visalia and neighboring communities. Construction can involve temporary traffic shifts or restrictions; travelers should follow current Caltrans instructions rather than rely on the project’s ceremonial groundbreaking date as a closure schedule.

Detailed contract costs, milestones and construction schedules can change during the work. Local officials have discussed a summer 2028 target, but residents should verify any revised timeline through Caltrans or the county.

Official source: Tulare County Resource Management Agency — October 30, 2026 Caldwell Avenue Interchange groundbreaking notice.

California58 Newsroom. Original local summary based on the official source above. Illustration is not a photograph of the specific development or ceremony; Photo: Denys Nevozhai / Unsplash.

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