This Modesto neighborhood getting sidewalks and gutters years in the making
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- County breaks ground on $22.4M Parklawn pedestrian project.
- Federal and state grants plus city funds financed the infrastructure upgrades.
- Community advocacy drove project priority and promises annexation.
Stanislaus County leaders, elected officials and community members celebrated the groundbreaking of the Parklawn Pedestrian Sidewalk Project, a massive endeavor that will get the south Modesto community up to city standards in preparation for annexation.
Parked along the street Thursday morning were several pieces of heavy equipment owned by Modesto contractor George Reed Inc. and used to level ground at construction sites. One, parked on the grass of Parklawn Park, was festooned with colorful balloons and a banner celebrating the groundbreaking.
Juan Escatel, also known as DJ Juan Diego Escalante, is a musician from south Modesto. He said he remembers when children had to wade through water that would flood the streets on their way to school. Now Parklawn has a sewer system and soon will get new gutters, sidewalks and improved lighting.
Through an interpreter, Escatel said, “There are really no words, we have been hoping for this for several years and it’s very emotional.”
He said the community has been working on this since 2003.
Dave Leamon, Stanislaus County director of public works, said the $22.4 million project wouldn’t have been possible without a windfall from the federal government in 2021, which awarded $12.3 million to upgrade the neighborhood.
“I figure it’s about $50,000 a lot, so if you’ve got a neighborhood with 1,000 houses, that’s how much it costs. It’s not like we fund these things through bake sales,” Leamon said.
Up until now, the county pocket of Parklawn has not had sidewalks, preventing many older or disabled residents from being able to safely navigate the neighborhoods.
Stanislaus County District 5 Supervisor Channce Condit, said the project got to this point largely by the relentless advocacy of the community of south Modesto.
“Their advocacy helped my colleagues and myself to understand the importance of dedicating these funds to Parklawn,” Condit said. “I’ve walked the neighborhoods here in south Modesto and I’ve seen blight, I’ve seen disenfranchisement, I’ve seen generational gaps between south Modesto and other communities in our county. It’s long overdue.”
Sofia Barron, a longtime resident of the Shackelford neighborhood, which recently received infrastructure upgrades, said she wants to dispel the myth that south Modesto is the “alley of Modesto.” She loves this community and walked along the park when she was pregnant with each of her four children.
“It’s not just mud here, it’s actually a beautiful, loving and wonderful home and community,” she said.
Barron said she and others have helped neighbors carry their groceries through the water that pools during storms. She said she has cried thinking about what the area will look like once it’s complete.
“It’s a beautiful start of an ongoing chain that’s needed,” she said. “I love it, but you got to keep it going, because we’re still here.”
Elizabeth Morales is a south Modestan and member of the community advocacy group Manos Unidas. “At Manos Unidas, we say, ‘We might not have money, but we have our hands, and we have the power to do different things for our community – to make change,’” she said.
Condit said he hopes that after meeting city standards for infrastructure, the entire neighborhood will be ready for annexation. “We hope that it will be incorporated into the city of Modesto and this will be the last winter where we experience major floods in this neighborhood,” he said.
Leamon said the improvements through Public Works were 15 years in the making. The first step was to get the sewer systems in place. Before, failing septic tanks would bubble up in residents’ backyards. The sewer system upgrades were secured through a State Water Control Board grant.
A total of $7.5 million secured by the city of Modesto will add hydrants and a new water system.
“We teamed up with the city of Modesto and they’re paying for the brand-new water out here,” Leamon said. “Cities are better at delivering services to citizens than counties are, we’re just kind of lumbering.”
The neighborhood of Parklawn is being redone and after completion of the project it will have ADA compliant sidewalks, new gutters, storm drain systems and improved lighting.
Felix Molina, project coordinator for AIM Consulting, helped with public outreach and organization of the groundbreaking. He said, feedback was crucial to getting the project where it is now
“[Residents] worry about their kids’ safety, they worry about crime, and so these improvements will help that and will bring more comfort to the neighbors that live here,” Molina said.
Leamon said there were a lot of groups involved with getting this project started. He thanked state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, who secured $5 million for the project, along with his staff, the city of Modesto and the State Water Control Board.
“Even though Parklawn will be completed entirely and we will move to annexation, there are much needed improvements in Sofia and Juan Diego’s neighborhood in the Bret Harte community,” Condit said. “You have my commitment that I will continue to advocate shoulder to shoulder with each and every one of you until those improvements are made.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 8:01 AM.
