VISALIA, CA — Work begins Jan. 5 on the third phase of the Caldwell Avenue widening project, focusing on the stretch between Santa Fe Street and Lovers Lane. This stage of the renovation involves moving traffic onto the newly finished southern portion of the road so crews can begin work on the northern section and major intersections.
Eric Bons, a senior civil engineer for the City of Visalia, said the change will include lane shifts, flaggers, and directional signs. While motorists should expect potential closures and shifts, officials say at least one lane will stay open in each direction at all major intersections throughout the construction.
The third phase of the project includes putting in underground utility lines, updating traffic lights, and adding curbs, gutters, medians, and streetlights. Avison Construction, the contractor for the project, has already finished the first phase and the main parts of the second phase. Those earlier stages involved moving utility lines and building the southern part of the road.
The project will turn this section of Caldwell Avenue into a four-lane divided highway. The finished roadway will feature bicycle lanes, sidewalks, drainage upgrades, and new landscaping.
The work is part of a larger regional effort to widen Avenue 280, the county’s name for Caldwell Avenue. The project is a partnership between Visalia, Tulare County, the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), and the cities of Farmersville and Exeter. The entire road improvement project is currently scheduled for completion in May 2026.
To keep the public informed of construction progress and traffic changes, the City of Visalia has set up a text and online update system. Residents can sign up for text alerts by texting 'CALDWELL' to 1-877-741-6014. Project updates are also available on the city’s official website and social media pages.
