Hi. Welcome, Fresno enthusiast. I am kinda sick of talking about wet weather so today we are talking traffic here at Fresno!Fresno!. (Dude, I must REALLY be bored if I’m talking about traffic instead)
Is it still true you can be anywhere in Fresno in 15 minutes? Yeah, mostly.
But, I have been noticing recently that we have some new sore spots that likely aren’t going away.
🚙First let’s list the classics:
The whole 41 & 180 area that gets slow and weird, like always.
Where Westbound 180 dumps onto 99, sure.
Herndon Westbound to 41, slowlane backs up to First Street at times.
General thick traffic heading into Downtown in the morning and then thick traffic on 41 Northbound at Herndon and also Friant.
Alright, so we all know those.
But there are a couple new-to-me traffic spots that seem to be building since we have all gone back to working in a place not our kitchen table/office.
Eastbound Herndon heading to 41, around 7:45 AM. Traffic backs up from Palm to Fruit and various spots along there. To the point that people can block the intersections when the light changes too fast and the driver’s judgment was poor.
Northbound 41 at Herndon in the morning. The far right lanes back up close to Bullard now. I feel like that is newish for the morning commute and that used to be a drive home thing.
Maybe those have always been the case and I am just now noticing. 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
I wish I had a solution besides ride-sharing, biking and FAX buses. I say wish, because those are always options, most of us just don’t use them.
I hella support those alternatives, but I know humans too well to think enough of us will use the other options.
Notice I used ‘humans’ and not Fresnans. We are no worse than anyone else is when it comes to leaving our cars at home. So cut us some slack there.
But I do think we need to continue improving Fresno’s biking and walking options. And to get in the headspace of having a light-rail someday.
[Traffic thoughts concluded]
Links To Fresno
Man, this is going to suck shakes if it happens: Starbucks wants to takeover the building Foster Freeze is in at Bullard & Palm. (Read the full article by the Fresno Bee’s Bethany Clough)
Please read the article, but the bottom line seems to be whether the property owner wants to lease it to Starbucks or keep leasing it to the Foster Freeze.
You would assume Starbucks would pay more to the property owner, so you can see where it is likely heading.
This would be some soggy fries, man. (although soggy Foster Freeze fries are kinda good)
Besides the history of that Foster’s for me, my daughter and I go there on the reg’ for a treat or a little break in the boredom. Another Starbucks just adds to the boredom.
Hoping for the best. 🍔
Okay, well, I thank you for reading. Drive safe on your commute to Foster’s and we’ll talk soon.
-Mike
I've been trying to ride my bike to CMAC once a week to cut down on this traffic.
I stop at that Foster Freeze when we’re on that side of town. Last thing needed is another Starbucks.