Work will begin soon to build a new roundabout at the eastern side of the Pine Street overpass and city officials are giving the public advance notice so they can plan an alternative route.

City Engineer Daniel Padilla said work is scheduled to start on Monday, May 17 and noted that school will be out by then. Construction is expected to last until July 28.

The traffic control plans will allow for the use of the overpass except for a total of three days but the southern and eastern legs will be restricted for some time.

“The first two or three weeks won’t impact traffic too much,” said Padilla.

The Ceres City Council approved a construction contract on Feb. 8 for the new roundabout at El Camino Avenue and Pine/Park. Out of five bidders Cal Valley Construction was awarded the contract in the amount of $519,390. A 10 percent contingency brings the total to $571,329. An additional $45,833 will be used for construction surveying and staking and materials and compaction testing, bringing the project to a total cost of $617,162.

The project will use state and federal funding sources and will not use any city funds. The project is mostly being funded by the federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) program with matching funds coming from SB 1.

The project consists of constructing a roundabout at El Camino Avenue and the Pine/Park Street intersection including concrete curb, sidewalks, medians, hot mix asphalt surfacing, pavement marking and striping, roadway signs, landscaping and street lighting.

City of Ceres Public Works Director Jeremy Damas said the new roundabout will provide traffic calming measures while improving traffic flow.