BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A portion of State Route 46, the well traveled route that traverses the southern San Joaquin Valley for coastal respites, will now undergo a much anticipated project to widen the conventional two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway.

A ground breaking ceremony for the State Route 46 (segment 1) widening project will be held on November 10, 2009 at 11:00 at the Lost Hills Park 14688 Lost Hills Road. Construction on the new expressway is scheduled to begin on the week of November 16, 2009 be completed in mid 2012.

Griffith Company has been awarded a $25 million contract to widen approximately eight miles of State Route 46 from 1.9 miles west of State Route 33 to Browns Material Road. The two-lane conventional highway will be expanded to a four-lane expressway with a 62-foot center median. Existing intersections within the project limits will be upgraded to accommodate truck traffic. In addition, the intersection of State Route 33 will be signalized and realigned.

State Route 46 is a major east-west Coast Ranges crossing that connects State Route 1 on the Central Coast near Cambria and U.S Highway 101 in Paso Robles with State Route 99 at Famoso in the San Joaquin Valley. Built and improved during the 1920s and fully paved by 1930, State Route 46 was originally designated as U.S. Route 466 until 1964, and then became part of the California freeway expressway system.

The benefits of this capacity increasing project include reducing congestion, improving traffic operations and safety along the heavily traveled east/west route.

Funding for the project includes $15 million in Interregional Improvement Program (IIP) and approximately $10 million federal funding secured by former Congressman William Thomas.

Information Provided by The Department Of Transportations