Just one of three Highway 99 road projects in Tulare County received backing Thursday from the California Transportation Commission.

The commission allocated $154 million of a $1 billion pot of Proposition 1B bond money to widen Highway 99 to six lanes between Goshen and Kingsburg.

But the other two projects — a six-lane widening project from Tulare to Goshen and improvements to the Phillip S. Raine Rest Area south of Tulare — never even made it to the commission.

Alan McCuen, a Caltrans spokesman, said a list of road projects was recommended to the California Transportation Commission by Caltrans in January.

Highway 99 projects in Madera and Merced counties took priority over Tulare County's other two projects because they were further along in the planning stages.

Ted Smalley, deputy director of the Tulare County Association of Governments, said other pots of money will be sought to fund the two projects left out by Caltrans.

If the Legislature appropriates money from last year's $19.9 billion Proposition 1B, which earmarked $1 billion for Highway 99 projects, construction of the Goshen to Kingsburg widening project could begin as early as 2009, Smalley said.

"We are excited about the commission's decision," Smalley said. "Tulare County received 15 percent of the money earmarked for Highway 99 improvements."

Other projects

The $1 billion for Highway 99 projects was the only pot of Proposition 1B money that was set aside for one road — with $850 million going to the central San Joaquin Valley and $150 million to the Sacramento Valley.

The following four central San Joaquin Valley Highway 99 improvement projects also received an endorsement from the California Transportation Commission.

• Widening Highway 99 to six lanes between Ashlan Avenue in Fresno and Avenue 12 in Madera County.

• Improving the interchange at Avenue 12 in Madera County.

• Widening two segments to six lanes and removing intersections between the northern Madera County line and McHenry Road in Merced County.

  The $154 million hasn't been the only allotment of Proposition 1B money that Tulare County has secured this year.

  In February, state transportation officials allocated $75 million to Tulare and Kings counties that will be used to widen Highway 198 from two to four lanes between highways 99 and 43.

  The reporter can be reached at jchernab@visalia.gannett.com.