Highway 41 construction is making good progress

Madera County officials provided a first-quarter update on the Highway 41 Expressway Project with three months of construction now complete.

Crews installed 37,000 feet of exclusionary fencing, 10,251 lineal feet of permanent fencing and moved 20,000 cubic yards of earth.

The $130 million expressway undertaking is the largest transportation improvement project in county history. The highway is a major thoroughfare to Yosemite National Park, transporting millions of visitors each year.

Led by Madera County in coordination with Caltrans and regional partners, the project is expected to reduce congestion, improve travel times and accommodate future residential and commercial growth along the corridor.

The 4.6-mile expansion improvements include widening the highway to four lanes, construction of a new southbound bridge over Avenue 11, intersection expansion and improvements to the traffic signal at Avenue 12 and modifications to the existing intersection at Avenue 15.

During the first two months, much of the project’s early work focused on preparing the corridor for major construction activities, according to the project newsletter. Crews installed California Tiger Salamander (CTS) exclusionary fencing and carried out environmental clearance and wildlife protection activities required for construction to advance.

Clearing and grubbing stormwater protection measures, wetland protection mats and permanent fencing along the state right-of-way were also said to be completed or underway throughout the project area.

Nighttime lane closures between Avenue 12 and Highway 41 supported portions of this early work while minimizing impacts to daytime traffic.

Roadway activities

As work progressed, construction transitioned into more visible roadway and earthwork activities. Crews began temporary lighting work and grading southeast of Avenue 12 and Highway 41 in preparation for future roadway and drainage improvements.

Wildlife protection and site preparation continued near the Avenue 11 Bridge embankment while survey crews carried out construction staking and grade verification to support work throughout the corridor.

During the third month, construction activity continued to expand as crews prepared for larger earthwork, bridge, drainage and roadway operations. Nearly 10 miles of exclusionary fencing reached substantial completion throughout the project limits, marking a major milestone in the environmental preparation needed for construction.

“I’m most pleased with the completion of the exclusionary fencing,” said Bryan Kroeger, project manager and resident engineer with California Construction Management and Engineering, Inc. (CCME).

“With almost 10 miles of fencing to install, it went pretty fast and we were able to complete the work without any environmental issues.”

Permanent fence relocation also continued, including installation of barbed wire and chain-link fencing.

Earthwork commences

Earthwork also became more visible during the month. The contractor continued grading east of Highway 41 just south of Avenue 12, where the future roadway profile is beginning to take shape.

Initial excavation also began at a large drainage basin in the same area. Crews then expanded to the west side of Highway 41, clearing and preparing the former maintenance and material stockpile area for future embankment construction associated with the new Avenue 11 bridge.

Preparation for the Avenue 11 bridge also continued to advance. Officials said the contractor is working to establish the water supply needed to support major excavation and embankment placement while foundation piles for the new bridge have been ordered and are expected to arrive on site soon. Their arrival will allow crews to begin foundation work for the new bridge.

Other work continued throughout the corridor as additional subcontractors became active on the project. Electrical crews continued underground conduit installation for future lighting systems, including drilling beneath Avenue 12 and installing conduit along portions of the alignment now accessible for construction.

The drainage subcontractor also began mobilizing with pipe and other materials arriving onsite in preparation for increased drainage work in the coming months.

Project milestones

Quarter 1 marked an important milestone for the Highway 41 Expressway Project as construction moved from project startup and site preparation into active work throughout the corridor.

Major milestones achieved during the quarter included advancement of environmental clearance and wildlife protection measures, substantial completion of nearly 6.7 miles of exclusionary fencing, preparation of key work areas throughout the corridor, approximately 50 percent completion of permanent fence relocation along the state right-of-way and the transition into grading and earthwork operations for future roadway improvements.

“It’s great to see the project team has worked hard to complete the tedious and rigorous environmental mitigation work to prepare the project site,” said Jared Carter, county director of public works.

“I’m excited to see the new corridor start to really take shape as earthwork and bridge structure work gets underway.”

What’s coming next

Officials said construction activity is expected to increase substantially during the project’s second quarter as crews move into major earthwork, bridge construction, drainage improvement and additional roadway work.

A major focus will be the new Avenue 11 bridge where crews are preparing to begin constructing the embankment and foundation work west of Highway 41. Significant excavation will also take place at large drainage basins east of Highway 41, both north and south of Avenue 12, with excavated material supporting ongoing earthwork and embankment construction.

Crews will begin installing major drainage crossings south of Avenue 12 while grading continues throughout the corridor as portions of the future roadway begin to take shape.

As construction moves closer to the existing highway, the project’s progress will become increasingly visible to motorists. Drivers will begin seeing K-rail, additional construction equipment and activity within or near the existing medians as crews prepare for upcoming roadway work and traffic shifts.

For more information and to receive the newsletter, visit www.41expressway.com