City staff present Southeast Tulare transportation plan; recommends phased sidewalk, turn‑lane and collector connections

City engineering staff on Jan. 21 presented a draft Southeast Tulare Transportation Infrastructure Improvements plan that identifies a series of near‑term and longer‑term projects to address congestion and pedestrian safety in the city's southeast quadrant, particularly along Bardsley Avenue.

Staff outlined specific segments and proposed work: installation of frontage improvements and sidewalks where private development will not provide them; east‑ and westbound turn lanes at key intersections; potential restriping to four lanes on continuous segments once missing frontage and mailbox relocations are addressed; and longer‑term collector connections requiring culverts or small bridges over the TID main canal at Levin and Alpine avenues to provide alternate north–south routes and reduce demand on Bardsley Avenue.

Michael Miller, city engineer, said several parcels have existing development that will not trigger frontage improvements through private development, so the city may need to fund sidewalk and pave‑out projects across specific parcels to achieve continuous sidewalks and full-width lanes. He described scenarios in which mailboxes and on‑street parking would need to be relocated or consolidated into community mailboxes to allow restriping to four lanes.

Staff also noted that several intersections in the study area are on Caltrans‑jurisdiction roads (for example Mooney Boulevard/State Route 63) and that Caltrans must approve signalization or geometric changes; developers are conducting required intersection control evaluations in some locations. Councilmembers stressed safety at the Mooney Boulevard intersections and asked staff to prepare options and accident statistics for future council consideration. Staff said the plan will be expanded into a citywide blueprint and used to guide capital-improvement programming and development‑condition negotiations.