A roadway connection that was lost over 60 years ago in downtown Fresno is being restored.

The development of the Fulton Mall in 1964 closed several sections of nearby streets to traffic, including a stretch of Merced Street next to Hotel Fresno.

Construction is underway for the “Merced Street Reconstruction Project,” which the city said Wednesday will improve access for residents, businesses and visitors downtown.

The project calls for reconnecting approximately 600 feet of Merced Street between H Street and Congo Alley, restoring a portion of downtown’s original street grid. This area was converted into a walkway upon Fulton Mall’s development.

“This project is about much more than building 600 feet of roadway,” Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said in a statement. “It’s about reconnecting our downtown, restoring a piece of Fresno’s history and creating new opportunities for investment.”

A map shows where construction will take place to restore a road in downtown Fresno that was lost over 60 years ago. A map shows where construction will take place to restore a road in downtown Fresno that was lost over 60 years ago. Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias social media post

A separate project to extend Broadway by about 230 feet is also planned that will carry traffic through to the Merced Street extension, according to the release.

Historical significance

The city identified the need for the “Merced Street Reconstruction Project” in its Downtown Specific Plans, which were approved by the council in 2018.

The project also aims to enhance access to the new Carnegie Library parking garage and the historic Hotel Fresno. Built in 1912, the hotel was restored in 2024, and it is the oldest extant hotel downtown.

Fresno’s first permanent City Hall opened at Merced Street and Broadway in 1907, which was directly across from the Fresno Hotel.

The ground floor of the Hotel Fresno will finally be opened for availability to businesses more than four years after the building’s restoration got underway. The ground floor of the Hotel Fresno will finally be opened for availability to businesses more than four years after the building’s restoration got underway. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Additional improvements include new street lighting, landscaping, street trees, parking and supporting infrastructure, according to the release.

The project costs nearly $2 million, funded by Measure C and gas tax funds.

A map shows where construction will take place to restore a road in downtown Fresno that was lost over 60 years ago. A map shows where construction will take place to restore a road in downtown Fresno that was lost over 60 years ago. Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias social media post
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