Modesto adds new road projects as drivers become annoyed by lane closures
The Modesto City Council approved a $3 million contract Tuesday to improve Coffee Road, adding to about $25 million worth of Measure L funds being spent on road upgrades already in progress throughout the city.
The project, awarded to Hughson-based United Pavement Maintenance, will repave the road, add mid-block curbs, new crosswalks and new signage on Coffee between Norwegian Avenue and Scenic Drive. Construction is set to begin this summer to align with Downey High School’s schedule. It is expected to total about $3.7 million.
“Overall, the traffic on Coffee Road will be able to drive on smoother pavement, upgraded bicycle facilities and will have more visible markings and signage throughout the corridor,” reads the staff’s agenda report. “In addition to performing pavement maintenance, one of the goals of this project is to provide safer crosswalks for pedestrians in the general area of Downey High School.”
No documents presented to the City Council include an anticipated time of completion for the project. Similar projects have taken anywhere from three months to a year to finish.
Recent projects across Modesto have annoyed drivers this year, with traffic often whittled down to one lane during rush hours on major arteries. Driver sentiment has not gone unnoticed by the city, which maintains it would rather hear complaints during the process than complaints about its roads’ substandard conditions.
During the annual State of the City address, Mayor Sue Zwahlen’s mention of ongoing construction along Scenic Drive was met with groans from the audience. Her response, met with laughter, referenced the project. “In case you haven’t noticed,” she said.
“Though this process has tested drivers’ patience, it is a necessary investment … and it will have a lasting impact on our growing community,” said Zwahlen.
Scenic Drive’s second phase of upgrades, from Downey Avenue to Lakewood Avenue, is almost complete, at least according to how much money it has left. Since it began, the project only has a little under $80,000 worth of Measure L funds left of the $7.7 million budgeted.
The city’s latest traffic impact report advised drivers to expect delays, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays on Scenic Drive, Orangeburg Avenue, Kansas Avenue and 11th Street. The city also advised to expect delays for the several roundabouts under construction throughout Modesto.
Round and round
On April 10, City Manager Joe Lopez posted a blog that elaborated on Zwahlen’s State of the City comments about roundabouts. Lopez wrote that the city’s investment in them was based on national research that showed roundabouts reduced severe crashes by 78% and fatal crashes by 82%.
The move is also a step toward addressing longstanding complaints about light signal coordination throughout Modesto. Roundabouts have been shown to get traffic through an intersection faster than stop signs and, depending on the size of the intersection, traffic lights.
There are four roundabouts under construction, three of them along Ninth Street at Carver Road, Tully Road and Needham Street. The fourth, which began construction Monday, is at the intersection of Claus Road and Merle Avenue. A closure of Merle between Claus and Thomas Court will begin May 11.
Coffee Road’s first phase, which is complete, put down temporary paving after it addressed utility infrastructure below the street’s surface. An estimated time of when its second phase will start has yet to be announced.
