Due to urban growth, the limits of the City of Tulare have expanded north to encompass the existing Cartmill Avenue interchange. Based on the current City of Tulare General Plan, the area surrounding the Cartmill Avenue interchange is expected to accommodate increasing commercial and residential development. To accommodate this development, Cartmill Avenue was widened to a six-lane divided arterial, the existing overcrossing replaced with a new six-lane overcrossing structure, and the existing interchange replaced with a modified Type L-9 and Type L-1 combined interchange. The new interchange improves safety, increases the capacity of Cartmill Avenue, improves east-west circulation and improves access to and from State Route 99.
The project included the design of a new 253 ft. long, 130 ft. wide cast-in-place post-tensioned box girder bridge which was designed for the future widening of State Route 99, and the structural design of three retaining wall structures, including a 625 ft. long by 22 ft. tall Mechanically Stabilized Embankment (MSE) retaining wall. The project included Caltrans OSFP and District 6 oversight.