It is getting safer for students walking to and from Manteca High.

Work crews Tuesday installed four overhead crosswalk flashers — two at Sherman Avenue and two at Garfield Avenue — on Yosemite Avenue. The amber flashers are activated by pedestrians as they are about to enter the crosswalk.

It could be months, however, until they are operational. That’s because the overhead flashers won’t work until PG&E makes the required connection. And while the city schedules such work with the for-profit utility months in advance and pays PG&E to do the hook up, there is never a guarantee the work will be done in a timely manner. PG&E was contacted months ahead of time about an installation of a similar overhead crosswalk flashing signal on Woodward Avenue at Wellington Avenue. The contractor completed the work five months ago. PG&E has yet to make the connection needed to activate the flashers.

City workers have also installed mid-street bollards at crosswalks on Moffat Boulevard with signs advising motorists state law requires them to stop when students are in the crosswalk at Sherman and Garfield avenues as well. Manteca added a high profile crosswalk at Sherman in addition to the one that already was in place at Garfield. Signs warning off the crosswalks have also been installed.

The city in the coming weeks will install sidewalk mounted crosswalk signs ringed with amber lights — much like the red lights on stop signs on Woodward Avenue at Pillsbury Road. The amber lights are activated by pedestrians wanting to cross the street.

Manteca will paint the curb red on the south side of Moffat from a point west of Sherman Avenue to a point east of Garfield Avenue when the weather dries. The no parking zone is designed to eliminate congestion before and after school.

The overhead flashers on Yosemite Avenue are part of an overall $2.9 million project on Yosemite from Main Street to Cottage Avenue that included removing pavement, applying new asphalt and putting in place American with Disabilities compliant sidewalk cuts at intersections. The project also includes placing bike lanes from Main Street with highly visible green markings at critical junctures such as intersections.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com