Congressman Adam Gray visited City Hall and Bear Creek in Merced on Tuesday to present federal funding dollars he helped secure to support significant local infrastructure projects.
At City Hall, Gray and city leaders announced that an $850,000 federal grant will support the city’s Childs Avenue Project. This work will include approximately 2,000 feet of new roadway reconstruction, along with new sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainage, street lights, bike paths, and pedestrian crossings on Childs near Canal Street.
“The improvements will make it safer and easier for residents to travel through the area — whether they’re walking, biking or driving,” said City Engineer Daryl Jordan. “Storm drainage improvements are also an important part of this project, helping improve our storm water management in this area. Beyond improving safety and accessibility, this infrastructure will help support future commercial development, including potential grocery stores for our south Merced area.”
The project design is approximately 50 percent complete, Jordan added.
“It’s long been our goal to bring more development and better economic opportunities to south Merced,” said Mayor Matthew Serratto, calling the project location a prime spot that’s close to fast growing neighborhoods and Highway 59.
“To be able to improve it, to be able to enhance this area, I think is a major morale boost and a great symbolic win for south Merced, as well as showing that we’re willing to invest. We’re ready to invest.”
Said Congressman Gray: “We have to continue to invest in every neighborhood in our community. … It’s not just about the infrastructure that’s going to go in there, but the opportunity it’s going to create for those neighborhoods, for new investments, and for new development. I couldn’t be more grateful that we have local leaders that really work together, and get away from the frustration of partisan politics.”
$3.1 million for Bear Creek
Also on Tuesday, Congressman Gray joined Merced city officials along the Bear Creek bike path near the Rotary Scout Hut to recognize federal funding for improvements to the creek’s infrastructure and flood protection.
A federal grant award of $3,150,000 will support the first phase of a project designed to improve flood protection, upgrade infrastructure and restore habitat along Bear Creek.
The project builds on $6 million Gray secured while serving in the State Assembly, as well as an additional $5 million secured by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria with Gray’s support.
For Mayor Serratto, the project is especially meaningful. The city’s top leader regularly participates in community cleanups along Bear Creek, where he has helped remove discarded shopping carts and other debris.
Bear Creek serves as an important waterway corridor and provides a place for residents to walk, bike, and enjoy the outdoors. City officials said the funding will help address infrastructure needs while preserving the creek as a community resource.