Traffic flow and pedestrian safety — along with bicycling accessibility — on East Yosemite Avenue between downtown and Walnut Avenue could improve under an $868,300 proposal.

It is part of an over $45 million capital improvement plan the City Council is considering adopting when they meet at 2 p.m., today in a special session at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane.

The proposal would rework traffic flow by:

*installing a continuous left turn lane between Walnut Street and the railroad tracks.

*putting in place a high profile crosswalk along the stretch.

*adding Class II bicycle lanes similar to what is in place on West Yosemite Avenue east of Main Street.

The project sheet in the capital improvement plan doesn’t provide a lot of details such as whether on-street parking would need to be eliminated.

Based on the width needed not to reduce the two travel lanes, the continuous center turn lane as well as two bicycle lanes it is doubtful on-street parking could remain.

Virtually all homes along Yosemite Avenue have driveways.

The high profile crosswalk may end up having overhead flashers such as in front of Manteca High along Yosemite Avenue or flashers mounted on traffic signs such as those by the high school campus on Moffat Boulevard.

East Yosemite Avenue is crossed by elementary students going to and from Sequoia School.

The bicycle lanes would continue a municipal goal of making more of Manteca accessible in a safer manner by bicycling. It would tie into the Tidewater Bikeway just east of the railroad tracks on Yosemite Avenue.

The improvements are based on the type of collisions, the severity of collisions, causes of the collisions, and the location of the collisions. By establishing patterns the countermeasures the staff is proposing will correct the issues along that stretch of West Yosemite.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com