STOCKTON, CA - The San Joaquin County Department of Public Works has released the Draft Countywide Sidewalk Connectivity Plan (Draft Plan) for public review, marking an important milestone in the County's effort to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility and connections throughout unincorporated communities.

The Draft Plan is now available on the project website and will remain available for public review for two weeks. Community members are encouraged to review the Draft Plan and reach out to project team members with questions or comments before the review period closes.

The Draft Plan identifies pedestrian infrastructure needs and develops recommendations to improve walking conditions throughout unincorporated areas of San Joaquin County. The Plan focuses on addressing sidewalk gaps, improving pedestrian safety and accessibility, and strengthening connections between neighborhoods and important destinations such as schools, parks, transit stops, businesses and public facilities.

Development of the Draft Plan included extensive community outreach, with focused engagement in Thornton, Lockeford, Linden, French Camp, and Colonial Heights. Residents participated through surveys, community pop-up events, school partnerships, Municipal Advisory Committee meetings, direct mail, and other outreach activities.

The most recent phase of outreach generated 377 survey responses from the study area. Residents shared information about how they currently walk in their communities, barriers they experience, pedestrian safety concerns, and the improvements they would like to see prioritized.

Several themes consistently emerged across the outreach process, including:

• Safer routes to school, which was the most consistent priority heard through surveys, pop-ups, and community conversations.
• Closing missing sidewalk gaps that currently create barriers to walking.
• Improving crossings, particularly along major roadways and near schools.
• Addressing vehicle speeds and traffic concerns that can make walking uncomfortable or unsafe.
• Creating stronger connections between neighborhoods, schools, parks, libraries, businesses, and other community destinations.

"Community feedback has been an important part of developing this Draft Plan," said Public Works Director Najee Zarif. "Residents helped us better understand how to create a safer and more effective pedestrian network. We encourage residents to now review the Draft Plan and provide us with any additional thoughts."

The release of the Draft Plan provides another opportunity for the community to stay involved before the planning process is completed and will be available for public review until October 14, 2026 at: https://www.sjgov.org/department/pwk/traffic-engineering/countywide-sidewalk-connectivity-plan

Community members can contact the San Joaquin County Department of Public Works with questions or comments:

Marilissa Loera, Senior Transportation Planner
San Joaquin County Department of Public Works
Email: mloera@sjgov.org
Phone: 209-468-3085

Following the public review period, the County will consider feedback received as it finalizes the Countywide Sidewalk Connectivity Plan.

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