A $20 million project to add a second off-ramp lane from northbound Highway 99 to the westbound 120 Bypass as well as an additional southbound Highway 99 ramp lane from 120 Bypass eastbound to southbound 99 could be completed by the end of 2019.
The Bypass-99 interchange is part of a $1.2 billion regional transportation improvement plan targeting main line highways up for adoption by the San Joaquin Council of Governments.
Other cities throughout the region have worked with Manteca leaders as well as SJCOG and Caltrans staff to program the work and virtually move it ahead of other previously identified projects in a bid to reduce traffic accidents and daily stopped traffic issues on both Highway 99 and the 120 Bypass.
The interchange not only handles major commute traffic from Modesto, Stanislaus County, the foothills and eastern Stockton going to and from the job rich Bay Area but it is also a major interchange for truck traffic.
The SJCOG board will conduct a public hearing on the various associated documents on Thursday, Aug. 25, at the SCJOG office building at 555 E. Weber St. in Stockton. The documents are available for review at www.sjcog.org/ftip.
The plan also calls for $693 million worth of interchange projects in San Joaquin County, $877 million in regional roadway improvements, $191 million in railroad crossing safety projects, $2.3 billion in bus transportation investments, $1.1 billion in rail line improvements, $53 million in aviation upgrades, and $281 million in community enhancement projects tied to roads such as sidewalks and landscaping.
The adoption of the list doesn’t guarantee projects listed will be built either as programmed by year or if they will even be funded. It serves as the blueprint for regional transportation planning. Inclusion on the list allows entities involved to work toward making the projects  a reality as funding becomes available ns is allocated.
Funding sources includes the countywide half cent Measure K sales tax, regional growth fees as well as state ad federal money.
The railroad line projects includes $162 million to double track existing Union Pacific tracks from Lathrop-Manteca into Modesto to provide Altamont Corridor Express passenger service as well as building a station in Ripon. The extension would bring train service to the downtown Manteca transit station possibly by 2023.
Among the other major projects in the Manteca, Lathrop, and Ripon areas are:
$29.1 million to construct a grade separation over the eastern railroad tracks for Roth Road in Lathrop.
$21,4 million to construct a grade separation for Airport Way between Louise avenue and Lathrop Road in Manteca with a target year of 2035.
33 million to reconstruct the Interstate 5-Lathrop Road interchange in Lathrop.
$33 million to reconstruct the Interstate 5-Louise Avenue interchange in Lathrop.
16.8 million for improvements in and around the Roth Road at Interstatev5 interchange in Lathrop.
$10 million to reconstruct the Main Street/Highway 99 interchange in Ripon.
$27.8 million to build a new 120 Bypass/McKinley Avenue interchange targeted for completion in 2021.
$22 million to reconstruct the Union Road at 120 Bypass interchange with work starting within the next year or so.
The major projects include widening Interstate 5 from the 120 Bypass to Charter Way from six to eight lanes to accommodate high occupancy vehicles or carpool lanes in two phases at a cost of $280 million by 2034. In addition $207.9 million would be spent tentatively by 2028 to widen Interstate 5 for the 120 Bypass to Interstate 205 from 9 to 12 through lanes.
There is also $389 million budgeted to widen Interstate 205 from six to eight lanes to accommodate HOV or carpool traffic between Interstate 580 and Interstate 5 by 2037.
 
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com