The Stockton Avenue parking lot just reopened.

Since mid-August, the downtown Ripon lot had been closed for renovation.

At Tuesday’s Ripon City Council meeting, Engineering Supervisor James Pease announced that parking lot and alley behind Pizza Plus as being “nearly completed.”

The work conducted by A.M. Stephens Construction Company Inc. was ahead of schedule for the reopening – elected leaders took notice of that.

The Lodi-based company replaced the asphalt and concrete paver while also installing storm drain facilities.

The estimated cost for the parking lot reconstruction is $433,000 – of that, $302,000 was to come out of the City’s general fund surplus which was already allocated for the Stockton Avenue project.

The remaining $131,000 coupled with any change orders will be paid through the Street and Road Reserve Fund, made possible via the general fund surplus.

The temporary public Stockton Avenue between First and Second streets was used during construction, with downtown having posted signs for limited parking during that time.

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