Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tulare County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
8 issues in roads
Caldwell 99 interchange groundbreaking
After decades in the making, construction is finally starting on the Caldwell 99 interchange — safer traffic flow and a boost for economic development in that corridor.
Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant Applications
The county is applying for seven grants worth an estimated $12.7 million total to improve road safety. That could mean funded safety projects on county roads.
Three Rivers road acceptance
The board vacated unused Canyon Drive and Quail Run Drive rights-of-way in South Fork Estates Unit 2, a subdivision approved in 1985 whose third unit was never built. Owners must consolidate lots and prove legal, physically viable access by December 31, 2029. A property owner described a private fire-access road to the cemetery as an escape route.
County road construction and infrastructure awards
The Board awarded contracts for slurry seal countywide, the $5.6 million Farm to Market project near Pixley and Terra Bella, a culvert replacement near Strathmore, and accepted new roads in Goshen — better roads and drainage for rural communities.
Regional Transit Agency Turnaround
TCRTA has rebranded as 'Ride Tulare County,' hired new operator Via, redesigned routes around Uber-style microtransit, and is adding tap-to-pay fares by February — supervisors credited director Derek Winning with rescuing the once-troubled agency.
Road Conditions in Pixley, Matheny Tract and Tuleville
Residents described pothole-ridden, unpainted roads in Pixley where a man fell and was injured, poor pavement in Matheny Tract, and speeding and gravel hazards near Tuleville's school bus stop — asking for Measure R dollars to be directed to their communities.
Mineral King Road & Wishon Drive Permanent Restoration Bid Dispute
The 2023 storms washed out roads near Three Rivers and Springville. The Board rejected low bidder Synergy Construction over sloppy bid paperwork and unlisted subcontractors, awarding the $3.57 million job to Walsh Montgomery instead — but delays mean the work may slip past the good-weather construction window. Micari also wants county bid rules tightened to prevent this recurring problem.
Active Transportation Program grants for Cutler-Orosi, Earlimart, and Strathmore
The county will apply for state grants worth about $49.4 million in projects to make walking and biking safer in three rural communities.