Stockton, CA – At its meeting on Tuesday, April 9th, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted to fund a Freeway Corridor Beautification Plan for the areas in and around Stockton on State Routes 4 and 99, and Interstate 5, adding an additional $300,000 to departmental budgets for the project. The item was brought forward by Supervisor Tom Patti, whose Third District represents parts of Stockton, Manteca, and Lathrop. The funding will open the door for additional California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) funding and projects for freeway beautification in the County, in partnership and cooperation with the City of Stockton.
“I-5, 99 and the Crosstown Freeway are vital thoroughfares in and around San Joaquin County, bringing visitors from all over California to our community,” commented Supervisor Tom Patti, who represents the Third Supervisorial District and submitted the item for Board approval. “We want to leverage these local funds to get further investment from our state partners to beautify these corridors through Stockton, so we are putting our best foot forward to attract visitors and businesses, and so our local residents can have pride in the community where we live and work.”
Numerous interchanges in the Stockton area are unsightly and lack aesthetic features to make them attractive gateways to the community. Public Works has previously reached out to Caltrans regarding this issue and were told that a locally funded master plan would be required for Caltrans to allow, implement, and maintain the enhancements. Once the Master Plan is complete, Caltrans will be responsible to design, construct, and maintain their improvements, with implementation likely occurring over several years.
“I love calling Stockton home,” commented Board Chairman Miguel Villapudua, who represents the First District. “This Master Plan gives the State a road map to understand how our community wants to be seen through these beautification projects. There is so much to love about San Joaquin County and the Central Valley. I am proud to partner with our state agencies to beautify and promote our community.”
The estimated cost to develop the Master Plan is $500,000, which will be funded through the approved $300,000 in contingency funds approved by the Board, as well as proportionate contributions from Road District 1-4 funds totaling $200,000. Public Works staff will coordinate with Caltrans and the City of Stockton to initiate and complete the study, which is expected to take approximately six months.
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