In the not so distant future, a stretch of roadway just north of Park View Elementary School will see added lanes.
This is part of the City of Ripon’s River Road Intersection and Sidewalk Improvement Project. Plans call for the widening of River Road with traffic signals being added on the corner of River Road and Fulton Avenue.
“While in meeting with Caltrans, we were advised of additional environmental studies that needed to take place,” said Engineering Supervisor James Pease at the Sept. 13 Ripon City Council meeting.
He noted that environmental clearance was crucial to securing funding for the project due to the accelerated timeline of Active Transportation Program, which, in turn, requires approval from the California Transportation Commission.
The original approved funding for environmental studies was $22,000, with another $4,500 needed to complete additional studies.
Elected leader approved this emergency item.
Council initially approved the general service agreement with Basecamp Environmental, Inc. earlier this year, with the resolution also consenting to the functional classification change of River Road.
Pease said back then that construction would begin by mid 2017.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.