Stanislaus County held a workshop at Tuolumne Elementary on Wednesday evening for the community to review and provide input on a proposed “South 9th Street Corridor Plan.”
The planned improvement project covers south 9th street in the unincorporated area between Modesto and Ceres along with some adjacent streets. The focus is on walkability and ease of access for non-motorized transit.
Long-time resident Tamela Vasquez said the area often gets treated like an afterthought.
“We are looking forward to it because we are always ignored,” Vasquez said.
The area for the proposed improvement begins just after crossing the Tuolumne River heading south towards Ceres and Highway 99 from downtown Modesto in the neighborhood of Bystrom.
The region is characterized by a fast moving 5-lane road with almost no sidewalks. Though residents bike and walk along 9th Street, they do so with little to no protection from passing cars and the current walkways do not meet ADA standards.
Angela Freitas, director of planning and community development for Stanislaus County said this is a long term vision to work on an area that has for decades, not had the best reputation.