A traffic detour planned for traffic trying to access the 120 Bypass westbound on-ramp and the eastbound off-ramp at Union Road for 10 months could result in the placement of temporary traffic signals at Atherton Drive and Airport Way.

It is one of several contingencies being made when the ramps are closed in a bid to speed up work and reduce construction costs for the diverging diamond interchange now being constructed at Union Road and the 120 Bypass.

The detour is designed to take traffic that would normally use the two ramps and direct them down Atherton Drive and Airport Way to go to and from Union Road.

If after the first few days the detour is in effect traffic movements through the Atherton Drive and Airport Way intersection proves to be problematic, the city will have Teichert Construction put in place temporary traffic signals.

The city may also place a temporary barrier in the middle of Union Road at Daniels Street during the ramp closure. That is being done out of concern that without traffic signals at the ramp while work is being done that traffic will be moving in such a manner it will make turning left from Daniels to head south on Union or turning left from southbound Union to reach Daniels a dangerous movement.

The ramp closure eliminates the need for manned traffic control while work is being done. It will also allow the use of the soil that serves as the bed for the current ramps to be used for the replacement ramps.

It will end up reducing costs by $500,000 and allow work to be finished four months earlier by January 2021.

The “savings” will essentially cover costs the city incurred due to PG&E’s delay on work on relocating power poles that are just now getting underway. The additional costs were in the form of contractual obligations the city couldn’t honor with the main contractor on the project.

It will mean Manteca won’t have to take money away from other pressing road improvements to complete the interchange.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com