Malaga-Area Intersection Upgrade Receives $1 Million Construction Grant for Protected Left Turns

MALAGA, Fresno County — October 28, 2026. A busy industrial-area intersection near unincorporated Malaga is on Fresno County’s current public-works project list for an upgrade intended to reduce dangerous left-turn conflicts and improve pedestrian access. The Chestnut Avenue and Central Avenue Intersection Improvements project has an estimated overall cost of $1.3 million.

What would change for drivers?

Fresno County’s design calls for replacement of the traffic signal and protected left-turn phases on all four intersection approaches. It also describes additional right-turn lanes on the west, south and east approaches, high-visibility signal backplates and upgraded pavement geometry. The county says the present unprotected turn movements can leave long waits for trucks and buses, making the junction a congestion point between State Route 99 and Golden State Boulevard.

What would change for pedestrians?

The proposed work includes accessible pedestrian-signal buttons and curb ramps at all four corners compliant with accessibility standards. The county identifies the nearby unincorporated community of Malaga as an area with substantial environmental and economic burdens. New signal timing and curb ramps are intended to help people navigating the industrial corridor, including people with disabilities.

Has funding been secured?

The county says the federal Carbon Reduction Program awarded $148,815 for preliminary engineering and right-of-way work in its first grant round and $1 million for construction following a separate 2024 application. These awards are documented funding commitments, not proof that the upgraded intersection is already operating or that all construction invoices have been paid. The county’s active-project page does not give a newly confirmed October 2026 completion date.

How residents can follow construction

Drivers should watch for official project and lane-control notices rather than treating the funding announcement as a present closure alert. Source: Fresno County Public Works — Chestnut Avenue and Central Avenue Intersection Improvements. The county general information number is (559) 600-5956.

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