The City of Clovis Discusses Upcoming Shaw Widening Plans

The upcoming phases for the Shaw avenue widening project were presented at the community meeting on Aug. 10, 2021. (Courtesy City of Clovis)

A community meeting was held discussing the Shaw avenue widening project, where the City of Clovis shared the latest plans for the project.

Clovis’ latest project has been widening the lanes between Sunnyside and McCall avenues.

The City recently completed the distance between Sunnyside and DeWolf avenues and is now shifting its attention to DeWolf and McCall avenues.

Further widening of Shaw avenue is a Measure C-funded project, and the focus of these funds is to widen Shaw avenue to its ultimate width.

Measure C is a half-cent sales tax aimed at improving the overall quality of Fresno County’s transportation system, including the County and all 15 cities within the County.

The project’s scope:

  • The distance between DeWolf and Highland avenues will be widened to six lanes (three eastbound and three westbound).
  • The distance between Highland and McCall avenues will be widened to five lanes (three eastbound and two westbound).
  • Traffic signals will be installed at Leonard and Shaw avenues and McCall and Shaw avenues.
  • An under-crossing will be installed for the Loma Vista Community Center.

The widening coincides with the ongoing Loma Vista Community and Commercial Center Project planned for the area.

Clovis City Engineer Mike Harrison said the first phase would be centered around Leonard and McCall avenues, with bidding on the project beginning at the end of the month.

This project segment is projected to take between 10 to 12 months for completion, finishing around Sept. 2022.

“In all, it’s about 10 to 12 months of construction activity,” Harrison said. “And we’re attempting to minimize the impact by providing access to all the residents.” 

The City will discuss the project’s second phase in the spring, including the overpass and pedestrian crossing underneath Shaw avenue connecting north and south urban centers.

The projected overpass included in the second phase of the project and its location in the Loma Vista Community Center. (Courtesy City of Clovis)

Bidding for the second phase will begin in the spring, with construction beginning immediately after and projected to finish around Oct. 2022.

During construction, Shaw avenue from Leonard to Highland avenues will be closed for up to six months, with detours in the area.

“The main reason for that [the closure] is we want to get that fully constructed so we can continue to move further east,” Harrison said.

Hairston said the project is a cooperative effort between Clovis and the County of Fresno.

“A lot is within the County of Fresno,” Harrison said. “And we’ve been working very closely with the county on this coordination.”

Anthony De Leon is a journalist who started his career in 2017, covering sports for the Fresno City College Rampage, earning his Associate Degree in the process. He then moved on to Fresno State, working for The Collegian serving as Sports Editor, Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in print journalism. In August, he will begin attending Reynold’s School of Journalism Master’s program at the University of Nevada, Reno.