Local officials break ground on the final phase of Veterans Boulevard

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - It's a project that's been decades in the making, and now local officials say it will be completed by the end of next year.

It's called Veterans Boulevard, which officials say will be completed before the end of 2023. The two-and-a-half-mile, $140 million project will connect Herndon, on the east side of Highway 99, to Shaw Avenue, on the west side of the 99.

"This is an exciting day in the city and county of Fresno," said Mayor Jerry Dyer at a groundbreaking ceremony for the final phase of the project on Thursday.

Officials are hoping Veteran's Boulevard helps to alleviate traffic congestion and provide easier access to the 99.

"For anyone living out on the west side who has ever been stopped by a train on Shaw, for anyone who's ever been stuck behind trucks on Herndon, waiting to get gas on parkway drive, this is a welcome addition," said District 1 Supervisor Brian Pacheco.

The project includes a six-lane corridor with raised landscaped medians, a protected pedestrian trail, and a two-way bike path.

"It will connect the west siders to shopping, dining, places of worship, and entertainment venues," Dyer said.

Funding for Veterans Boulevard comes from developer fees and a mix of local, state, and Measure C funds.

"I'm in love with Measure C dollars. They have done so much for Fresno County," Dyer said.

Representative Jim Costa says the project is part of a larger conversation surrounding infrastructure investments and air quality.

"We've got to make the kinds of investments that our parents and grandparents made. The investments on Veterans Boulevard will improve the economy, create more jobs, help with traffic safety and improve air quality," he said.

Officials say if the project is finished before the end of 2023, it will be ahead of schedule.