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Ripon may join effort to score funds for 99/120
highway 99
The afternoon commute on Highway 99 is shown heading south through Ripon toward Modesto.

The San Joaquin One Voice is the San Joaquin Council of Government’s federal advocacy program that promotes local projects, programs, and issues of regional significance to federal legislators and agencies typically via the annual trip to Washington D.C.

In the past decade, officials from the City of Ripon have attended the One Voice trip focused on funding for the South San Joaquin Irrigation District Surface Water Connection project and the Altamont Commuter Express Station – or the Multi-Modal Station – project on Industrial Avenue.

“Both projects have received federal funding through these efforts,” said City Administrator Kevin Werner in Tuesday’s Ripon City Council meeting staff report.

On the agenda is the SJ One Voice Advocacy Trip 2024.

Elected leaders could designate or approve a representative to attend the annual trip to Washington, D.C,. scheduled for May 5 through May 9 at the monthly session in the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave., beginning at 6 p.m.

Werner indicated that the City of Ripon does not have a project that meets the criteria identified by SJCOG for a project submittal.

Rather, SJCOG will be submitting a regional project that impacts Ripon. In this case, State Route 99 / 120 Connector Project, Phase IB.

“The current 99 / 120 freeway to freeway interchange is subject to significant congestion, delays, and high accident rates. This has resulted in drivers taking alternative routes to avoid this interchange, including City of Ripon local streets that were not designed for this increased volume of traffic,” Werner reported.

The SF 99 / 120 Connector Project, Phase 1B calls for widening the connector from northbound 99 to westbound 120 by constructing a westbound auxiliary lane on Highway 120 between Highway 99 and Main Street in Manteca, in order to improve the interchange operations while keeping commuters on the state highway systems “rather than using local roads to avoid the interchange,” said Werner.

Phase 1A of the project, which addresses eastbound Highway 120 and southbound Highway 99, is entering construction phase.

It is scheduled to break ground in the spring.

SJCOG’s intent is to complete the design and right-of-way phases of Phase 1B during the Phase 1A construction period.

This, in turn, would allow Phase 1B to enter construction seamlessly upon the completion of Phase 1A.

For more information, log on to www.cityofripon.org.