A stretch of Fresno County’s Millerton Road that saw 10 people lose their lives and 23 suffer serious injuries in crashes from 2020 to 2024 will get substantial safety upgrades, state and local officials said Monday.

“We can all agree that every life lost on our roadways is one too many,” said Michael Navarro, the local Caltrans director, at a news conference. “The purpose of today’s effort is simple. To prevent tragedies and create a safer transportation system for everyone who lives, works, visits, and travels through this community.

“Together through engineering, education, and enforcement, and strong partnerships, we can make Millington Road safer for all users.”

Road upgrades in the Table Mountain Casino-to-Winchell Cove area are being coordinated through the California State Priority Safety Corridors initiative. The improvements include centerline rumble strips, new pavement markings, and a roundabout at Winchell Cove Road.

Other planned improvements are blind curve warning signs with flashing beacons, speed monitoring signs, and emergency vehicle hybrid beacons.

In addition, the California Highway Patrol plans high-visibility, enhanced enforcement. Officers will focus on speeding, impaired driving, and other dangerous behaviors.

Tragedy Sharpens the Focus on Safety

Toks Omishakin, secretary of the state Transportation Agency, cited the Oct. 17, 2023, collision that killed four Pepperdine University seniors on Pacific Coast Highway near “dead man’s curve” as the impetus for new and better safety strategies.

In that tragedy, a speeding driver swerved onto the north shoulder and slammed into three vehicles parked along the road. Those parked vehicles struck the four female students, killing them.

“That tragedy, from that moment on, we knew we had to do things a little bit differently in transportation safety for the state,” Omishakin said. “We had a higher sense of urgency.”

The event also featured Kelli Greene, whose 18-year-old son, Maddux, a Clovis East High School graduate, was killed in a 2025 crash involving an alleged impaired driver traveling more than 80 mph running a red light. Her son’s friend, Jordan Alvarez, 19, also died in the collision. Kelli Greene urged officials to continue their efforts, describing impaired driving as a major public health concern in the Central Valley.

Magsig Points to Coming Development in Friant

Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig highlighted growing development near Millerton Road, including a proposed community in Friant that could bring up to 2,500 senior housing units. He said increased traffic makes road capacity and safety improvements vital, particularly for cyclists like himself who face narrow lanes and limited shoulders.

The state initiative also supports plans to widen an additional 1.1 miles of Millerton Road. County officials said the project is ready to advance following completed environmental studies and planning work. Investments from Table Mountain Rancheria, as well as state and federal partners, are helping to move the project forward.

Watch the Full Press Conference: