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Manteca must spend $1.75M for newer signs
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Uncle Sam wants driving the streets of Manteca at night to be safer.

And it’s going to cost $1.75 million.

That’s the tab Manteca will incur for replacing all traffic signs — stop signs, speed signs, warning signs, street signs, and such — with ones that have a significantly higher retro-reflectively.

The mandate by the Federal Highway Administration is based on the fact half of traffic fatalities occur at night even though only a quarter of all travel takes place at night. And whole intoxication and fatigue contribute to the high rate of nighttime crashes, the federal government contends nighttime driving is inherently hazardous because of decreased driver visibility.

The newer sign material improves highway safety and prevents roadway departure crashes by bouncing light from vehicle headlights back toward the vehicle and the driver’s eye, making the signs appear brighter and easier to see and read.

The city has budgeted $250,000 in this year’s budget for the replacement signs. Another $750,000 is proposed to be budgeted in 2016-17 and another $750,000 in 2017-18.

The money would come from designated street maintenance funds from the city’s share of gas tax.

Manteca has applied for a federal grant to reduce the overall cost.



To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com