Lindsay Merchants Would Lose All Highway Frontage
October 28,2014
CalTrans is proposing to straighten the infamous curve on Hwy 65 northwest of the city of Lindsay making the expressway safer but leaving Lindsay merchants who enjoy state highway exposure now – a mile or more away from the action.
CalTrans will offer the compromise plan this week to the Lindsay city council after many months of negotiations looking to limit the impact on Hwy 65 merchants and city sales taxes. As can be seen from the map the realigned highway would veer north starting to the west of Lindsay’s commercial area (at Lindmore) and head toward Exeter reaching the Spruce Ave alignment.
The highway would pass through farmland, mostly oranges, northwest of Lindsay and south of Spruce. Virtually all the businesses including the Savemart shopping center on Hwy 65 now would then be accessed by a frontage road to connect to visitors and travelers. A signalized intersection at Hermosa and Hwy 65 would connect the town to the highway (see yellow circles on map). The city’s current highway businesses would still be connected by a frontage road.
‘This may be the best we can do” says city council member Pam Kimball.”At least we have a frontage road.” Council will get a chance to sound off on the tentative plan when they meet Tuesday October 28. It is likely going to be another year before a formal plan is offered for public review say city planner Bill Zigler.
Earlier alternative designs were opposed by the city because they offered poor access for current highway businesses.
Exeter faces the same prospect when Highway 65 is realigned to Spruce Ave, as part of a later phase of the same project, in coming years as travelers no longer pass through the heart of the community (on Kaweah Ave) but a mile to the east – along its eastern edge. CalTrans says to expect construction in 2019.
