The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) today announced a $20 million “Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development” (BUILD) grant to construct a 3-mile segment of the State Route 108 North County Corridor Project in Stanislaus County. The grant is a direct result of U.S. Representative Jeff Denham’s (R-Turlock) requests for federal investment in much-needed regional infrastructure and the second of its kind in consecutive years. Last year, Rep. Denham secured $9 million for the SR-132 Gateway Express project.
“This project will reduce bottlenecks merging onto SR-99, which will reduce congestion and improve safety on our most important north-south highway,” said Rep. Denham. “This will also support our Valley economy by getting goods to market faster and at a more competitive cost.”
The $20 million grant will be used to build a high capacity expressway bypass, connecting SR-108 to SR-99, a major north and south artery in the district.
The BUILD grant will:
· improve east-west travel time reliability for the residents and motor carriers needed to access SR-99 from the cities of Modesto, Riverbank and Oakdale;
· reduce traffic congestion and accommodate future traffic on existing SR-108 and surrounding areas; and
· support the efficient movement of freight to enhance the economy and bring Central Valley agriculture to market at a cheaper cost.
This grant is a direct result of Rep. Denham bringing U.S. Department of Transportation official Derek Kan to Modesto in October 2018 to discuss key transportation infrastructure needs with the Stanislaus County Council of Governments. Discussion included several projects Rep. Denham has played a role in from a federal level, including the Gateway Express Project, North County Corridor, 7th street bridge project, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and upgrades to SR-99.