Improving traffic circulation for parents dropping off — and picking up students — at Nile Garden School is arguably the most ambitious safety project undertaken by Manteca Unified using developer fees.
The district last month completed punching through a one-way exit road to Union Road.
It was part of an 8.75 acre purchase for $1.4 million that will also accommodate the potential creation of a “primary annex” with 22 classrooms at the rural elementary campus south of the City of Manteca.
In doing so, it will further unwind congestion not only on Nile Avenue in front of the school to enhance pedestrian safety but make vehicle movements less precarious for drivers using Union Road after dropping off or picking up students.
That’s because vehicles will now be forced to use the new exit after they leave the drop off zone.
The new exit to the south of Union Road, does not have visibility issues that exist at Nile Avenue for those turning left or right onto Union Road.
Besides the orchards, a number of parents typically park in a line along the edge of an almond orchard along the west side of Union Road waiting before the final dismissal bell.
San Joaquin County — the government agency that controls the Union Road and Nile Avenue intersection — declined a Manteca Unified School District request to make it a three-way stop. The county’s reason was due to the truck traffic on Union Road.
That said, the school district’s solution has created an exit onto Union Road that has a turn lane in each direction and has much better visibility.
The exit road is the only part of the Nile Garden campus fronting Union Road.
The majority of the 8.76 acres is setback farther from the road.
The additional land is where the district is submitting plans to the state to allow 22 more classrooms for a primary “annex” campus.
The school personnel, to reduce congestion, directs student drop off and pick up traffic on Nile Avenue that approaches the campus from the west via Oleander Avenue and Airport Way to return the way they came.
School traffic coming from the east via Union Road is directed back to Union Road.
Changes for new school
year starting on Aug. 6
The new exit road isn’t the only new change that will be in place when the new school year starts on Aug. 6.
Sixteen new classrooms will be finished allowing the removal of 10 of the 16 portables.
Some of the remaining portables will be used for after school programs for expanded learning opportunities.
The campus will still have a design enrollment for 1,263 students.
A project to add 22 classrooms in the future with six replacing the remaining portables, would allow the 23-acre campus to ultimately accommodate upwards of 1,600 students.
More than 95 percent of Nile Garden students reside in the city.
That’s almost a 180-degree change from 1966 when Nile Garden unified with Manteca Union High School as well as Lathrop, New Haven, and French Camp elementary campuses. Nile Garden’s student body back then was 100 percent rural students.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
