Stanislaus has redone some streets to aid pedestrians and cyclists. Here is a sampling
Streets are not just for motor vehicles, advocates for walkers and bicyclists have argued in Stanislaus County and beyond.
The county has several recent and current projects aimed at slowing cars and trucks near schools and other busy spots.
Pedestrians at some crosswalks now can press a button that triggers flashing warning lights for drivers. Some corners have “bulb-outs,” where the sidewalk extends into the parking lane to make people on foot more visible.
Some projects reduce the number of motor-vehicle lanes and use the freed-up space for bikes. They also can add medians to especially wide streets, with turn pockets to channel traffic.
Bike routes often are part of the work, some with protective berms and others with just paint on the pavement.
All this is part of a global movement that sees streets as places to enjoy, not just a means of getting somewhere else. It ties into an effort to reduce traffic death, such as the Vision Zero Network.
County and city governments in Stanislaus have used a mix of local, state and federal funding on the projects. A sampling:
Paradise Road: The city is in the midst of an upgrade from Modesto High School to Sheridan Street. The project will reduce motor-vehicle lanes from four to two in much of the stretch. It also will get better sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and bike lanes. The county did a similar project on Paradise from Sheridan to Carpenter Road, including Burbank Elementary School.
West Turlock: West Main Street got more visible crosswalks, a median and other upgrades between downtown and Highway 99 in 2019. Osborn Elementary School is along the stretch. The city also rerouted industrial trucks to a less-populated route to the south.
Oakdale High School: The city in 2021 revamped 11 blocks of G Street at and near the campus. The project added bulb-outs, wheelchair ramps and a flashing crosswalk beacon. The stretch also got “bollards,” which are posts that shield walkers and bicyclists from cars.
South Modesto schools: The county last year installed sidewalks on 12 blocks of Butte and Glenn avenues. Residents had long contended with mud puddles during storms. The project area takes in Hanshaw Middle School and the adjacent Bret Harte Elementary School.
Crows Landing Road: Upgrades were completed last year on the 1.5-mile stretch between Pecos Avenue and Whitmore Road. It has new bike lanes and crosswalks, as well as a median in place of a center left-turn lane that could be chaotic. Officials had planned to expand this four-lane stretch into a six-lane expressway. They decided instead to make it more of a neighborhood street for south Modesto.
Airport neighborhood: Several blocks without sidewalks finally got them in a county project completed last year. It also brought bicycle paths. The Tuolumne River Trust was a partner in the work, which connects residents to the nearby waterway. Orville Wright Elementary School is in the project area.
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