There were major traffic backups Tuesday on West Yosemite and Airport Way.

And it’s all Gary’s fault as in Manteca Mayor Gary Singh.

That’s because if it wasn’t for Singh in his role as the city’s representative on the San Joaquin Council of Governments, six weeks or so from now nearly 2 miles of West Yosemite between Walnut Avenue and the train tracks at the Lathrop city limits with long stretches of buckling pavement would not be replaced with smooth pavement.

Instead, it could have been another four six or so years before the city could budget the project

Singh as a SJCOG board member came across $5.7 million in road improvement funds that the federal government was about to claw back that another jurisdiction in the county was unable to use.

After confirming with SJCOG staff whether Manteca could try to secure the money before it had to be returned, he talked with municipal staff that said it could get a qualifying project ready in time to redo the section of Yosemite Avenue.

The city also had $669,750 in needed local matching funds available via the Measure Q sales tax that — based on Singh’s most adherent critics — was also his fault for placing on the ballot and campaigning for its passage.

While the sales tax was a collaborative decision and pushed by the entire current council, Singh went farther than his colleagues by making appearances at just over 100 “town hall” style meetings where he met with groups of voters ranging from less than half a dozen to over 150 to explain the need for the temporary sales tax and how it would work.

When work is done:

*East Yosemite from Main Street to the western limits will have been completely repaved during the past 30 months.

*Long segments of concrete roadway placed when West Yosemite Avenue was Highway 120 and was paved over with asphalt years before the city took control in the 1980s will have been removed. That means pavement buckling will not be an issue going forward.

*There will be bike lanes on Yosemite Avenue all the way from the western city limits to Cottage Avenue.

Taking place concurrently with the city work, Kaiser is installing a median in Yosemite between the traffic signals at Winters Drive and Fishback Road where a future development will install a roundabout.

Kaiser is also placing traffic signals at Yosemite Avenue and St. Dominic’s Drive.

No other segment along the section of Yosemite being reworked will have a median added.

As development occurs, however, medians may be added to optimize both safety and traffic flow.

The work is being done in three phases:

*The first is now underway through Sept. 30 and goes from the train tracks on the western city limits to a point just west of Kaiser.

*The segment from a point west of Kaiser to Trevino Avenue takes place Oct. 1 through Oct. 14.

*The final segment from Trevino Avenue to Walnut Avenue will take place Oct 15 though Nov. 2.

Access to businesses and residences will remain open.

Lane shifting will occur. Motorists are advised to use alternative routes if possible.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com