The latest effort to “homeless proof” Caltrans right-of-way along freeways where safety is a paramount issue is costing $270,000.

A contractor is installing wrought iron security fencing with angled spikes at two locations along Interstate 205 in Tracy and one along the 120 Bypass in Manteca.

The 120 Bypass work is between Van Ryn Avenue and Moffat Boulevard.

The effort comes after the homeless in Manteca have repeatedly cut through cyclone fencing Caltrans installed in a bid to eliminate the proliferation of illegal homeless encampments between sound walls and the steep embankment of the freeway created as the 120 Bypass gains elevation to bridge Van Ryn as well as Moffat and the railroad tracks.

The homeless have even moved aside K-rail placed to prevent them from driving vehicles into the right-of-way.

Caltrans working with the CHP repeatedly clear the areas after posting legally required 72-hour notices as required under court rulings obtained by homeless advocates.

Aside for trespassing, the homeless encampments pose serious health and safety issues to the general public, motorists, and the homeless themselves.

The area along the Bypass is the location of a number of grassfires each year. The steep embankment on one side and the sound wall on the other creates a potential fire trap for those living there illegally. Occasionally vehicles as the result of freeway collisions will end up in the area in question.

There has even been a traffic fatality. That happened last year when a homeless man was struck by a city garbage truck while crossing the Bypass during the morning commute.

Then there is the stench, noise, and other issues.

Clean-up crews typically remove numerous 5-gallon buckets such as the type Home Depot sells filled up with feces. They also pick up countless hyperendemic needles. Then, of course, there is the tons of trash that the homeless leave behind when they move to another location after being served with 72-hour notices.

At times dozens and dozens of homeless — including families — have set up makeshift shelter in the area.

On the north side where the almond huller is located, the homeless have erected small portable solar panels to charge their smartphones and to power appliances to cook food and to power lighting at night.

There are other issues less obvious to the public that Caltrans is concerned about.

Homeless building warming fires or cooking fires on a ledge beneath the east side of the northern most bridge crossing Moffat and the tracks have been intense enough to char the concrete with smoke. Over time such smoke can threaten the integrity of the concrete.

The homeless at other locations in Manteca — the Louise Avenue as well as the Cottage Avenue overcrossings of Highway 99 — have dug “caves” into bridge embankments.

Wrought iron fencing is being deployed more and more to keep the homeless out of areas such as private property as well as the Manteca Library courtyard where dozens used to camp at night in an area ticked out of view from the street.

They would leave behind trash, urine, and feces as well as repeatedly damaging light fixtures so they could use electric lines to charge cell phones and such.

The city decision to spend more than $7,000 on fencing three years ago has already been paid back in saved city worker time and equipment replacement costs due to the need to clean the area daily before the library opened. The homeless now gather at night to sleep on the expansive sidewalk in front of the gated courtyard.

They are reminded to clean up the area by Manteca Police community resource officers that make sure they are awake and clear out in the morning.

The homeless being displaced by the wrought iron fence along the Bypass appear to have moved to other locations along the freeway including the quadrants of various interchanges. The biggest concentration is now along both sides of the 120 Bypass where it joins Highway 99 where is much more open as well as being more visible.

The area is less than a mile away from the emergency shelter on Industrial Park Drive that the majority of the homeless are declining to use.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com