This Los Banos traffic project’s expected to improve travel times for drivers. Here’s how

Whether it’s local residents commuting to work or road trippers heading back-and-forth between the Valley and Bay Area, drivers in Los Banos may soon benefit from a project that’s expected to significantly improve traffic conditions.

The Los Banos City Council was given a presentation Wednesday on the State Route 152 Traffic Signal Synchronization Project.

The project will synchronize 14 traffic signal locations within a 5 mile stretch of Highway 152 by using a wireless traffic signal interconnection system. “I look forward to seeing it happen,” Mayor Tom Faria said.

Fred Pezeshk, Los Banos’ acting public works director and city engineer, explained the project will match green light times for several intersections, maximizing the number of vehicles that pass through. “The goal is to reduce stops and delays that are commonly experienced by all of us drivers,” Pezeshk said.

In addition to improved traffic flow, benefits would include reduced gas consumption, plus less pollutant emissions and greenhouse gases.

Construction of the $900,000 project is set to start in June 2022. The estimated completion date has not been determined, according to Gary Brizzee, acting city manager.

Funds for the project are being provided by a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant. The grant provides $100,000 for design and $800,000 for construction.

The city worked with consulting firm Gouveia Engineering to prepare a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant application, which was submitted June 3 to Merced County Association of Governments.

The project would be done using a wireless traffic signal interconnect system. Faria said he doesn’t anticipate the project will shut down intersections to traffic while synchronization is being done.

“They will work on one signal at a time, because it’s a wireless system — they’d be hooking into things. They might have to disable or go to a four way blinking red on those for short periods of time, while they hook them up at each point,” Faria explained.

The targeted traffic signal locations include Merced College’s Los Banos campus, Badger Flat Road, Ortigalita Road, West I Street, 4th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, 11th Street, H and I Streets, Mercey Springs Road/Highway 165, Miller Lane, Place Road, Home Depot and Ward Road.

Other key details

The plan has been in the works for a few years. The city established a task force to detail the project in 2019. There have also been monthly meetings between the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and city’s technical staff.

Gouveia Engineering is drafting the Preliminary Environmental Study for Caltrans’ review and approval. The study is essentially a questionnaire regarding environmental concerns.

Gouveia’s also assisting the city with scope verification with Caltrans, making sure the drafts and plans for the project are in place.

“A lot of time passes, people move around, project managers change at the state level, it’s always a good idea to get together and put our hands together and say this ‘was the original intent, this is the funding that we have’ and also ask, ‘what can we do to meet the intent of the project and deliver the project?” Pezeshk explained.

Another crucial aspect is the progress plans, which is 30% complete. Pezeshk said the city can review the completed plans in mid-summer of this year.

The request for construction and authorization of the project is anticipated to be submitted to Caltrans in June 2022.

This story was originally published May 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM.