California Department of Transportation

02/20/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Traffic Advisory Merced County 02/20/26

Traffic Advisory Merced County 02/20/26

Published: Feb 20, 2026

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

Merced County- The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will perform various closures on Interstate 5 (I-5), State Route 59 (SR-59) & 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.
    • 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 165

  • One-way traffic control from Geer Avenue to Campbell Street for pothole work on Monday, February 23, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.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 February 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 23, 2026 at 15:38 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 If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]