City Council Approves $4 Million More for Herndon Avenue Overpass Widening — Photo: Farragutful — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
City Council Approves $4 Million More for Herndon Avenue Overpass Widening
Fresno City Council approved $4,055,000 in additional Measure C funding on March 27, 2025, for widening the Herndon Avenue railroad overpass between Polk Avenue and Milburn Avenue. The money comes from regional transportation tax dollars voters approved through Measure C.
The project, known as Urban Project K-11, will widen the Burlington Northern Santa Fe overpass. The city originally secured Measure C funding through a 2013 cooperative agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority, but construction costs have climbed since preliminary engineering began, particularly for bridge structures in the post-pandemic period.
The Capital Projects Department plans to complete design work and begin construction in fiscal year 2026. City staff told the council that this $4 million represents “a portion of the funding needed” to bid and award the project, meaning the total construction cost will be higher. The staff report does not state the full project cost or how much more money will be required.
The council approved the funding amendment on its consent calendar without discussion.
The Breakdown
- The city is widening the Herndon Avenue overpass where it crosses the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks, from Polk Avenue to Milburn Avenue.
- Council approved Amendment No. 3 to an existing 2013 funding agreement, adding $4,055,000 from Measure C Tier 1 regional transportation tax funds.
- Construction costs for bridge structures have increased since preliminary engineering began, particularly after the pandemic.
- The city plans to complete design and begin construction in fiscal year 2026.
- The staff report indicates this $4 million is only “a portion” of the total construction funding needed, but does not state the complete project cost.
What This Means for You
This approval directs $4 million in Measure C regional transportation tax dollars toward one overpass widening project, with more funding still to come for the same project.
What to Watch
The staff report says $4 million is only “a portion” of what’s needed but doesn’t say how much the full construction will cost or where the rest of the money will come from. What’s the total price tag, and how much more Measure C money will this project require?
Bridge construction costs have climbed since the 2013 agreement, but the staff report doesn’t provide original cost estimates for comparison. If preliminary engineering began years ago and the city is only now moving to construction, what caused the delay, and did that delay itself drive up costs?
Development impact fees are also funding this project, according to the staff report. How much of this overpass widening is being paid by development impact fees, and how much is being covered by Measure C tax dollars?
