Kettleman roundabout plans on Highway 41 and Bernard Drive underway
KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Changes are coming to the Gateway to the Coast highway in Kings County.
Increasing safety and helping traffic flow smoothly is the goal of the Kettleman Roundabout Project on Bernard Drive and Highway 41.
It's something Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon says is needed.
"During the holiday season, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, you can't get through Kettleman City. It's important to make sure we keep traffic flowing, so it really plugs up the community that lives there and our fire station as well. So for safety, it's nice to keep traffic flowing," explains Verboon.
Congestion in the area is known to cause delays and potentially dangerous situations for travelers.
Especially in bad weather or on busy days, when traffic can get backed up for about two miles.
"Anyone driving from Fresno, Madera on a three-day weekend understands it's very frustrating to sit there for 30, 45 minutes or even an hour to get through," mentions Verboon.
The roundabout is the solution to help keep this roadway from turning into a parking lot.
"What happens is they don't realize that traffic is backed up that far, so that can cause, sometimes, an accident or a collision. A roundabout's supposed to keep traffic flowing," explains California Highway Patrol Officer Hector Carias.
The mostly federally funded project will cost about $9 million.
Caltrans is leading the project and has some tips for drivers entering the dual-lane roundabout
"Always look out for signage. As you're approaching a roundabout, we ask you to reduce your speed and yield to traffic that's currently in the roundabout itself. Make sure that as you are approaching, you're in the proper lane," mentions Caltrans Public Information Officer Alex Aguilar.
Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2026 and should be complete by 2027. More details can be found here.
For South Valley news updates, follow Kassandra Gutierrez on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
