'Plan ahead:' First weekend of Hwy 41 construction could impact traffic to Valley weekend events
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The first of eight-weekend closures of a stretch of State Route 41 starts Friday at 10 p.m.
O Street to Highway 99 on the southbound side of Highway 41 will be shut down for 55 hours.
"Surface streets are going to be impacted so just make sure to bring the patience with you," Salas said.
Traffic is typically a concern headed to Fresno for major events. This time you may feel the impacts leaving this weekend's Fresno State football game, the Post Malone concert at the Save Mart Center or the Fresno FC match downtown.
"We're frustrated just like every other traveler on the roadway," Salas said. "It's hard when you're in commuter traffic."
O Street and Tulare Avenue exits will remain open, but the suggested detour, if you're headed south, is to take Highway 180 to the 99 back to the 41.
Without traffic, the detour adds six minutes to your drive, but with everyone squeezing into fewer lanes, expect delays.
"The highway patrol is trying to mitigate any factors just to get everyone to and from where they want to go safely," Salas said.
Rave Promoter Kailin Hwang says he didn't know about the closure, but didn't expect it to deter the nearly 3,000 from coming to the Electric Fairy Tale event at Chukchansi Park on Friday.
"There's going to be things that happen as the city grows. They'll find their way here, maybe take the exit before. I'm sure there's going to be signs telling people where to go," Hwang said.
The construction is part of the eight-weekend long "Fresno 41 Fix."
Construction will start each Friday night at 10 p.m., and the plan is to have cones picked up in time for each Monday morning commute at 5 a.m.
Southbound closures will happen on these weekends: September 20-23, September 27-30, October 4-7, and October 11-14.
Northbound closures will happen on these weekends: October 18-21, October 25-28, November 1-4, and November 15-18.
