Fresno approves widening Shaw Avenue west of Highway 99

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A building boom is underway on the west side of Highway 99, and that means more traffic for the already overstressed streets.

City Council Member Steve Brandau represents the area. "The city of Fresno is experiencing some pretty serious growth, and that's our growth area number one and west of 99 is the target area for growth."

The city council approved widening Shaw Avenue to four lanes between Polk and Grantland, to help deal with current and future traffic congestion.

Fresno Public Works Director Scott Mozier says it will be paid for by the additional development in the area. "Most of Shaw Avenue is being funded by developers as they continue to work west of 99, building homes and commercial offices and retail, and they could be required to improve Shaw to four lanes."

Developers will be assessed a fee of $30,000 per acre for street improvements.

One reason the roads are currently inadequate, leading to traffic backups, is because the city relaxed those developer fees between 1989 and 2004, and improvements fell behind.

Additionally, other streets and the long-awaited completion of Veterans Boulevard are being planned.

"Veterans, Shaw and then there will be other streets that need to be addressed in the future," says Brandau. "The residents living west of 99 have the most difficult time connecting to the rest of the city. Veterans is a huge component; it is a tier one project funded through Measure C. It will get done. I'm not sure when."

That's the big problem, there's not a clear timetable for the development, but the city is attempting to get the pieces in place to improve access to the area west of Highway 99.