Auxiliary lanes between Lathrop Road and a point south of Louise Avenue are part of the City of Lathrop’s diverging diamond interchange (DDI) project.
The DDI will be similar to the one in place at Union Road and the 120 Bypass except the lanes on Louise Avenue will cross over each other and then back again beneath Interstate 5 instead of over the freeway.
Caltrans is accepting comments Sept. 28 through Oct. 27 for the DDI proposed to accommodate planned Lathrop growth. If there are no major comments, Caltrans will proceed with the project’s design.
The DDI has several advantages over traditional interchanges.
Given they are compact, additional right-of-way needed is minimal, it allows for a quicker traffic flow, and it reduces the chances for T-bone collisions that typically cause the most property damage and serious injuries.
Besides reconstructing the interchange under the freeway bridge, the project will:
*add ramp metering.
*add auxiliary lanes including ones that will connect the ramps at Lathrop Road and Louise Avenue.
*construct Class II bicycle lanes on Louise Avenue.
*widen the existing on and off ramps.
*provide new sidewalks along Louise Avenue.
Additional information on the project can be accessed via the Caltrans District 10 website (the exact website address is in a legal notice on Page A8 of today’s Bulletin) or at the Lathrop Branch Library, 450 Spartan Way, Lathrop.
The library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday from 1 to 6 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.; and closed Sunday.
South San Joaquin County is on track to have the most diverging diamond interchanges in the state.
Besides the one at Union and the 120 Bypass in Manteca that was the first in California, Tracy is constructing a DDI at Interstate 580 and International Business Parkway.
Manteca is in the planning process for two more DDIs: one at Main Street and the 120 Bypass and the other at Airport Way and the 120 Bypass.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
