Plans to extend Askland Drive to tie into the Northgate Drive at North Main Street are not sitting too well with some residents of Springtime Estates.
The extension of Aksland Drive is the only access to serve 158 homes being proposed on 30.7 acres bordering North Main Street across from Casino Real.
News about the land that requires a rezone to accommodate the single family housing project dubbed North Main Commons triggered a flurry of email comments to the Bulletin regarding traffic.
The comments fall into two categories.
Residents in the Springtime Estates neighborhood bordering the project to the east don’t want Askland Drive connected to the new development.
Other comments were from Manteca residents who do not live in the area but were concerned about traffic safety impacts on North Main Street.
The subdivision as it is designed would tie an extension of Aksland Drive into the Northgate Drive/North Main Street intersection where a traffic signal already exists. All of the 158 homes being proposed would be to the south of the Aksland Drive extension save for one that would be built on a vacant lot that backs up to the freeway and fronts the existing section of Aksland Drive that is now stubbed.
There are no other access points to North Main Street that is the heaviest traveled north-south corridor in Manteca.
Springtime residents that have voiced concerns are worried the extension will encourage through traffic in their neighborhood.
Aksland Drive does not connect directly with Louise Avenue. That said, a half block drive from where Aksland T-intersects into April Way is Springtime Avenue that is a  straight shot to Louise Avenue and intersects with Lancaster Drive that ties into North Main Street with a traffic signal.
The extension could also raise concerns with Springtime Estates residents for what is proposed on the north side of the Aksland Drive.
The subdivision itself will require 23.72 acres of the 30.7 acres to be rezoned from commercial mixed use to light density residential. The remaining 6.45 acres north of the extension would remain commercial mixed use. That means future development of those 6.45 acres coupled with another roughly 8 acres north of that with the same zoning that is currently Caltrans surplus property after the flyover ramp and off ramp for the Lathrop Road interchange was removed could draw additional traffic through the Springtime neighborhood.
The city is processing a negative declaration for the project meaning they have determined it will have “less than significant impact” including on traffic.
The negative declaration projects the 158 homes would generate 77 more kindergarten through eighth grade students and 37 high school students.
The project would include a 2.2 acre park/storm retention basin.
Written comments will be accepted by the Manteca Community Development through April 2 at 5 p.m. They should be directed to the attention of city planner Adam Paszowski at 1001 W. Center St., Manteca, CA, 95337 or emailed to apaszowski@cci.manteca.sa.us.