California Department of Transportation

01/02/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/02/2026 17:12

Traffic Advisory Merced County 01/02/26

Traffic Advisory Merced County 01/02/26

Published: Jan 02, 2026

Rest Area, & Highway Lane Closures
Interstate 5 And State Routes 59, 99, 140 & 165

Merced County- The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will perform various closures on Interstate 5 (I-5), and State Route 59 (SR-59), SR-99, SR-140 and SR-165 for maintenance and construction operations. Work is scheduled to occur as follows:

Interstate 5

  • Full closure of the John C. Erreca Rest Area on southbound I-5 beginning Monday, April 4, 2022, through February 28, 2026.
  • Temporary closure of the John C. Erreca Rest Area on northbound I-5 beginning Tuesday, December 30, 2025. No current ETO.
    • ALTERNATE LOCATIONS: Motorists traveling southbound are advised to use the Coalinga-Avenal Rest Area (Fresno/Kings County line).

State Route 59

  • Long-term lane/shoulder closures northbound and southbound 16th Street Bridge for bridge work beginning Monday, February 10, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. through Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:00 p.m.

State Route 99

  • One-way traffic control on the East Atwater Over-Crossing for utility work beginning Monday, January 5, through Friday, January 9, 2026, from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

State Route 140

  • One-way traffic control at the Mud Slough Overflow for bridge inspection work on Thursday, January 8, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

State Route 165

  • One-way traffic control from Mercy Springs Road Over-Crossing to Middle Road for pavement work beginning Sunday, January 4, through Monday, January 5, 2026, from 7:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
  • One-way traffic control from Mercy Springs Road Over-Crossing to Middle Road for pavement work on Wednesday, January 7, 2025, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • One-way traffic control from Santa Fe Grade Road to the Salt Slough Bridge for pavement work beginning Monday, January 5, through Friday, January 9, 2026, from 7:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Motorists should expect 5-to-10-minute delays and use alternate routes whenever possible. All work is scheduled to occur as listed but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/materials, and construction-related issues.

For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Be Work Zone Alert. For the latest highway conditions, visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov

California Department of Transportation published this content on January 02, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 02, 2026 at 23:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]