Madera County named one of the fastest growing communities in the West

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sounds of construction have become the norm in Madera County.

"No matter what part of the county you look at, there is some major pieces of construction going on," said Bobby Kahn, the executive director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission.

A recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic analysis showed Madera County saw the fastest growth in the West in a medium-sized community with a 6.6% increase for its gross domestic product, which is the value of goods and services produced within the county.

The study highlighted growth areas in agriculture and forestry, especially in the mountains where trees have died.

"It's creating a lot of forestries that we possibly didn't have in the last, and you see a lot more logging trucks on the road in Eastern Madera County to places where it can be processed," Kahn said.

In the city of Madera, new businesses are going up. Full Throttle suspension is expanding to this 100,000 square foot facility near the airport.

Nearby, a new fire station is expected to be completed in the next month.

At the Freedom Industrial Park, manufacturer TranPak is getting closer to opening.

Many projects are coming to fruition in 2020, including this loves travel stop. It just opened recently off Highway 99 and Avenue 17 and features space room for cars, trucks, and a dog park. More than 90 jobs were created.

Housing developments are changing the landscape of Madera.

"We have growth going on in Chowchilla, the city of Madera, and of course all of the growth going on along Highway 41 with River Stone, Tesoro Viejo, And then you're seeing infrastructure work being done at children's hospital, that's part of the Gunner West project, which is fully entitled," Kahn said.

Kahn believes a positive economy and planning are helping encourage growth. Leaders expect even more growth in 2020.

"It's the geographic center of the state. It's also one of the most affordable areas to develop in the state," Kahn said.

All of the projects are benefitting the city and county with tax revenue and more job creation.