Stanislaus County officials imagine a new bridge over Tuolumne River

The big road projects in Stanislaus County are subject to years of planning and sometimes intense debate. And they are entirely dependent on funding.

One little-known plan that’s getting more attention is the next bridge over the Tuolumne River.

The county will seek proposals next month from firms for initial design and environmental work. Located east of the Mitchell Road bridge near Modesto’s airport, the proposed bridge would close a broad gap between Faith Home Road near Ceres, on the south side of the river, and Garner Road in the Beard Industrial Tract, on the north.

An east Modesto resident, driving to the county fair, could get on Claus Road and take a straight shot on Garner, the bridge and Faith Home to Highway 99 near Keyes, and then take the freeway to Turlock.

The bridge is part of a long-range plan for a regional north-south traffic artery that follows Faith Home, Garner and Claus roads. Some believe there is a growing need for the bridge to relieve traffic congestion in south Modesto and Ceres, though there is disagreement on how urgently the bridge is needed.

Public Works Director Matt Machado said the county wants to position the bridge for funding.

“It has been talked about for decades,” Machado said. “When you look at other long-range plans for Faith Home, they don’t work well unless you close this gap.”

The potential bridge is a long one because it needs to span the river and a large expanse of flood plain. Closing the mile-wide gap – to tie Faith Home with Garner – would cost around $50 million, Machado said.

The preliminary design will show how it could be done. Machado expects the environmental work will take two or three years. It could be 10 years or more before a bridge is completed.

The bridge would probably debut with two lanes but would have space for additional lanes. It would likely be a functional structure with no artistic treatments.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Terry Withrow said the bridge does not have more of a priority than high-profile efforts such as the North County Corridor or the new alignment for Highway 132, west of Modesto.

“We are always looking for ways to pay for things and move traffic around better,” Withrow said. “I guess there was money put aside for this, and we are pulling it out to look at this project.”

A possible source for funding for the bridge is a local transportation tax, which could be put on the November 2016 ballot. Other possible sources are road impact fees or a federal and state transportation program, Machado said.

The new bridge would open a route for trucks and cars on Faith Home, from south Modesto industrial facilities to Highway 99 near Keyes. Plans include a signal where Faith Home connects with East Keyes Road, just west of the freeway.

Machado said there’s a growing need for another bridge over the Tuolumne because of increasing congestion on Mitchell Road. To further develop the Faith Home-Garner-Claus corridor, Modesto and Ceres would need to make improvements on Claus Road and Faith Home, respectively.

As far as Ceres is concerned, the bridge and regional route are still in the long-range planning folder.

“There is a need for it today, but there is also a cost,” City Manager Toby Wells said. “Would Ceres benefit from getting truck traffic off Mitchell? Absolutely. It does not have to happen tomorrow, but the sooner the better.”

In Ceres’ growth blueprint, the ultimate plan for two-lane Faith Home Road is a six-lane expressway. Wells said more than 80,000 vehicles per day pass through the intersection of Mitchell and Hatch roads in Ceres, making it one of the busiest in the county.

Myrna Clawson, whose family has a trucking business and mobile dwelling on Faith Home Road, just north of Whitmore Avenue, said she heard the expressway discussed at a Ceres council meeting more than 10 years ago.

She said the two-lane road in front of the business would certainly need to be wider to carry more trucks.

“It will cut a few feet off of our property,” Clawson said. “We have been aware of it for a long time.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County officials imagine a new bridge over Tuolumne River."