Airport Way five years ago was primarily a commuter route on Manteca’s western edge.

Today traffic is steady throughout the day and early evening especially between Daniels Street and Yosemite Avenue thanks to the opening of the Stadium Retail Center, Costco, and the Big League Dreams sports complex. There are additional businesses getting ready to build along the corridor - McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A are among them.

The City of Manteca is taking the first step toward increasing traffic volume and safety along the Airport Way corridor.  Staff is preparing plans for a $1.9 million project to secure the right-of-way and to add a continuous left turn lane between Daniels Street and Yosemite Avenue possibly as early as 2013.

The city already has Measure K sales tax funds set aside to pay for the project.

It is the initial phase for Airport Way upgrades that ultimately will see the roadway with six travel lanes from Daniels Street to Yosemite Avenue and four travel lanes north of Yosemite Avenue.

The section south of Yosemite Avenue is lined with houses -primarily rentals - that are in areas zoned for light industrial and similar uses.

The city envisions business parks along the stretch targeted for the left turn lane work as well as straddling Milo Candini Drive that runs parallel to the west and fronts the sports complex. That street ultimately will be extended to Yosemite Avenue.