Another part of west Modesto will get sidewalks. Empire and Waterford have projects, too
Sidewalks are coming near schools in west Modesto and in Waterford, and maybe also in Empire.
The California Transportation Commission approved key funding for the projects Dec. 6. They will help pedestrians avoid mud puddles in winter and dust in drier times.
The west Modesto project is on Robertson Road between Carpenter Road and Hammond Street. It got a $1.6 million state grant to go with about $230,000 from the Measure L sales tax in Stanislaus County.
Sidewalks are entirely lacking on the south side of Robertson and on parts of its north side. Two elementary schools are in the area: Robertson Road and Kirschen. Sidewalks already are in place right at the campuses and on many of the nearby blocks.
Stanislaus County Public Works is planning the project, which will be completed next fall, said an email from senior civil engineer Joe Giulian. It will include making crosswalks in this stretch more visible.
The state grants are from the Active Transportation Program, which seeks to ease the dominance of motor vehicles. Along with sidewalks, the money can go to bicycle lanes and better access to buses and trains. Sidewalk work includes ramps for wheelchair users.
“These projects change lives, and they inspire,” said Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez, chairman of the Stanislaus Council of Governments. He spoke at the commission meeting, reported by Streetsblog.org, an online news site devoted to the cause.
What’s planned in Waterford and Empire?
The city of Waterford received an $803,000 state grant for sidewalks on Highway 132 between Eucalyptus and Reinway avenues. There are none on the north side of the quarter-mile stretch, which is along Whitehead Intermediate School. Sidewalks are in place on only part of the south side, bordering Waterford High School.
Construction is scheduled for spring and summer 2025, City Manager Michael Pitcock said in a email. It will include curbs, gutters, streetlights and crosswalks. The highway is also known as Yosemite Boulevard and serves the national park and other Sierra Nevada destinations.
Waterford also plans to lay sidewalks in summer 2026 on Tim Bell Road between Yosemite and Vineyard Avenue. The same state program is expected to cover the $2 million cost, but it was not part of the Dec. 6 commission vote. Parts of the half-mile stretch already have sidewalks, including Waterford Middle School.
The Empire grant application came from StanCOG, which oversees transportation funding for city and county governments. The project would build sidewalks on Church Street between 132 and McCoy Avenue and on First and Second streets between Church and G streets.
The state granted only $4.5 million toward the $7.8 million project cost. StanCOG is looking for other sources. The area is just west of Empire Elementary School. The work also would make crosswalks more visible and improve storm drainage.
The commission granted a total of $29.3 million to 20 such projects around the state. Streetsblog and its allies called for a much larger program and for shifting money from road expansions.
Stanislaus has had several other projects in recent years from the Active Transportation Plan and similar funding sources. One slowed traffic near Modesto High School while upgrading sidewalks and bike lanes. The airport neighborhood got sidewalks on several blocks and a bike path to the Tuolumne River. Another project was on some of the blocks around Bret Harte Elementary School and Hanshaw Middle School.
These areas were first settled by Dust Bowl migrants in the 1930s and lacked sidewalks, sewer hookups and other amenities. City and county officials have worked to upgrade them, but gaps remain.
This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 12:00 PM.
