The long awaited upgrade to the California state routes 99 and 120 interchange will soon come to fruition as construction crews prepare for the start of a years-long project in San Joaquin County.
The State Route 99/120 Interchange Connector Project officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony near the project site in Manteca on Wednesday.
Officials representing Caltrans and San Joaquin County gave speeches throughout the morning regarding the impact the project will have on county commuters followed by a photo shoot with gilded shovels signifying the commencement of the project.
According to Caltrans, the $132 million project will expand the north-to-south SR-99 and the east-to-west SR-120 interchange near southeast Manteca, as well as neighboring roads in three parts known as Phase 1A, 1B and 1C.
The first three stages of construction for Phase 1A are slated to be completed by early 2026. Caltrans expects the entire project to be completed by 2042.
On June 5, the San Joaquin Council of Governments awarded a $48.2 million contract to the Sacramento-based Teichert Construction for the first phase of the project.
Phase 1A of the project is split into six different stages of construction, the first of which includes lane expansions and the addition of a new roadway connecting Austin Road and Atherton Drive just north of SR-99. This portion of construction is expected to take four to 5 months to complete.
The remaining stages of construction focus on the new intersection as well as supporting infrastructure to improve travel times and safety in the region, which will see wider roads and the reconstruction of the Austin Road overcrossing.
Phase 1B of the project will focus on the northbound to westbound SR-99 connector, while Phase 1C will see improvements to local roads and the Austin Road Interchange.
According to Caltrans Director Gregoria Ponce, the interchange project is designed to compensate for the growth of San Joaquin County and its business partners who travel through the region.
The interchange improvements were proposed through a collaborative effort between the San Joaquin Council of Governments, the City of Manteca and Caltrans District 10.
“Not only will this new interchange have an immediate impact on traffic circulation but will provide future benefits by accommodating projected traffic demand and planned growth of commercial and residential developments,” Ponce said.
In March, U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Tracy), representing California’s District 9 that encompasses SJ County, secured $500,000 in federal funding for the project.
Harder stressed at Wednesday’s groundbreaking event the need for a robust infrastructure in San Joaquin County, noting that the effects of traffic in the area impact neighboring communities.
The connector project seeks to make commuting through San Joaquin County faster and safer by widening various roads in and around the intersection to increase traffic capacity in the region. The improvements are expected to make diverging, weaving and merging into traffic safer between SR-99 and SR-120.
The need for the improvement stems from the current interchange’s lack of capacity for the ever growing traffic passing through the area, contributing to increased congestion and unsafe driving conditions.
“This is by far, I think, the most important project we have in our region moving forward right now because it affects so many of us even if you don’t drive it,” Harder said. “We all live with repercussions of this stretch of road.”
Expressing similar sentiments, Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln thanked the collective efforts of San Joaquin County in lobbying for the project. He noted the rise in super commuting in the area, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as an individual who drives for more than 90 minutes to and from locations for work.
According to Census data, nearly 20% percent of San Joaquin County commuters drive more than 60 minutes to work.
“When one region or one part of our county has a win our entire region, our entire county has a win and that can’t be understated,” Lincoln said.
The construction of the interchange will result in periodic highway and road closures, beginning with the eastbound SR-120 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. SR-99 and the Austin Road overcrossing will be closed at the start of stage two of construction.
Edward Lopez is serving a summer internship with Stocktonia. He is a graduate of Columbia University.
According to Caltrans, the $132 million project will expand the north-to-south SR-99 and the east-to-west SR-120 interchange near southeast Manteca, as well as neighboring roads in three parts known as Phase 1A, 1B and 1C.
The first three stages of construction for Phase 1A are slated to be completed by early 2026. Caltrans expects the entire project to be completed by 2042.
On June 5, the San Joaquin Council of Governments awarded a $48.2 million contract to the Sacramento-based Teichert Construction for the first phase of the project.
Phase 1A of the project is split into six different stages of construction, the first of which includes lane expansions and the addition of a new roadway connecting Austin Road and Atherton Drive just north of SR-99. This portion of construction is expected to take four to 5 months to complete.
The 1st 3 stages to be completed by 2026. But the entire project will take 18 years. (2042)
I applaud that this interchange needs to be fixed. But 18 years of construction. Wow!