Audubon Drive to close in northwest Fresno as crews widen street
The project is expected to be completed on June 15th.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A vital road for many Fresno commuters will be closed for upgrades starting this Thursday.
The Audubon Drive closure will last four weeks as crews widen the road and add an extra turn lane on Nees Avenue.
"It gets backed up, and like I said, we hear quite a bit of honking here and there," said Channi Singh, owner of nearby Palm Bluffs Liquor.
Fresno Public Works is working on a solution but to make it happen, they need to close Audubon Drive.
"Audubon will be closed in both directions between Nees near the Palm Avenue end and just east of the curve," explained Scott Mozier, director of Fresno Public Works.
Nearby businesses say they look forward to a smoother traffic flow.
"Otherwise, it backs up all the way because the red light right next to it on Palm and Nees and Audubon is a few yards after that, so if it won't back up to the red light, hopefully, it works out," Singh said.
The project will add two lanes from Nees, which will merge back into one a few hundred feet later on Audubon.
The sharp curve will be realigned, and a bike lane will be preserved.
The city says this is just the first phase of a makeover of Audubon Drive.
"Including a new traffic signal at Del Mar to help crossing of the street and for traffic calming and better flow and also the city is in design on a roundabout at the Lexington intersection," said Moizer.
The project is expected to be completed on June 15th.
The cost will total $2.1 million, which developer fees will cover.
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