The much maligned bulb-outs in the 100 block of North Main Street in downtown Manteca are going to be around for a little longer but they are coming out.

That’s because the work to convert the block to two southbound traffic lanes and one northbound lane to ease congestion as directed by the Manteca City Council is being combined with the Main Street reconstruction project from Yosemite Avenue to Atherton Drive.

By combining the two endeavors, the city will be able to minimize traffic disruption, keep costs down, and avoid tearing up the Main Street and Yosemite Avenue intersection twice while paving and adjusting signals.

That way when work is done the pavement will be clean on Main Street from Center Street to Atherton Drive by avoiding stops and starts and seams in the asphalt created when projects are done in phases.

“We want to make sure we do this project right, so it’s not being planned as simply as a ‘yank the bulbs out’ project.” City Manager Karen McLaughlin noted.

Design on the $1.8 million project that is now covering almost  a mile of Main Street will take place in the coming months. It is targeted to go out to bid in early 2017 with construction underway in the spring of next year.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com