The goal of sprucing up Golden State Boulevard continues to move forward as the city works on the third project of the beautification plan.

Currently, crews are constructing the concrete median on Golden State between Monte Vista Avenue and Tuolumne Road and will soon start laying out the landscaping and begin widening the southbound roadway to three lanes.

The project is expected to reach completion by the end of April, said City of Turlock Associate Civil Engineer Nathan Bray.

The work is part of Turlock’s Beautification Master Plan, which envisions turning the dusty median into a welcoming stretch of scenery.

The project in its entirety is expected to cost around $1.4 million Bray said. The portion between Monte Vista and Tuolumne is running at an estimated $700,000.

The majority of the funding for the beautification plan is coming from a federal grant from the Regional Surface Transportation Program, which stipulates the funds be used on enhancement projects. A smaller portion of the project is being paid for with gas tax revenue and capital facility fees.

The first phase of the project saw work undertaken from Roberts Road to Christoffersen Parkway  and then onto Monte Vista.