Building 52 more homes will actually improve traffic at one major intersection south of the 120 Bypass.
That’s because Lafferty Homes is being required to install traffic signals at Union Road and Woodward Avenue where the Farmhouse neighborhood is built when a 10-acre almond orchard now stands to the southwest of the intersection.
In addition access to and from the new neighborhood won’t create traffic flow issues or set up more chances for accidents. That’s because a future street accessing the neighborhood just south of Woodward on Union will be devoid of left turns on to — or off of — Union Road thanks for a median blocking the intersection.
Instead residents of the future homes will use Maehl Drive in an existing neighborhood to the west to reach Woodward Avenue via Al Fonseca Lane and ultimately the 120 Bypass and commercial areas north of the freeway.
That will help protect the integrity of Union Road that’s designed as an arterial road.
The existing farmhouse on the southwest corner of the intersection will have its driveways eliminated from accessing either Union or Woodward. Instead their access to the home will be from a driveway connecting to a cul-de-sac in the interior of the new neighborhood.
It will be the second intersection signal on Woodward Avenue. The other is at the entrance to Woodward Park.
The city’s plans call for a traffic signal to eventually be placed on Woodward Avenue at Main Street.
A few years back the city explored using roundabouts at Main as well as Union on Woodward Avenue. It was determined because land was already developed on some of the corners that a well-designed roundabout could not be installed.
Assuming current market conditions continue and the Farmhouse neighborhood moves through the entitlement process without a hitch the earliest signals could be in place at Union Road and Woodward Avenue is likely mid-2023.
The installation of the signals will also enhance the safety of students accessing nearby Veritas School.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
