The City of Ripon will once again be represented in Washington, DC, come May.

At last week’s monthly session, the Ripon City Council discussed and agreed to send Mayor Daniel de Graaf and City Administrator Kevin Werner to join the San Joaquin One Voice – tentatively scheduled for May 19 to May 25 – in support of the San Joaquin Council of Government’s State Route 99 / 120 Connector Project, Phase 1B.

 “Phase 1A of the project, which addresses eastbound (Highway) 120 and southbound (Highway) 99 is entering the construction phase,” said Werner.

He noted that SJCOG’s intent is to help complete the design and right-of-way phases of Phase 1B during the Phase 1A construction period, in turn, allowing Phase 1B to enter construction seamlessly up the completion of Phase 1A.

Another importance to the project is to keep commuters on the state highway system rather than cutting through and using the surface streets of Ripon.

The SJ One Voice of SJCOG is a federal advocacy program for the county that promotes project, programs, and issues of regional significance to federal legislators and agencies.

In 2022, SJCOG developed a new process to review and evaluate applications.

“This new criterion for the One Voice projects is intended to allow SJCOG to bring forward and focus on the projects that provides the best chance at securing available funds,” Werner said at the Dec. 10 meeting.

He added: “The project needs to prove it is regional and has a federal nexus, have a complete or near complete National Environmental Policy Act clearance, be significantly developed to warrant federal spending, and have demonstrated community support.”

Ripon has sent representatives to the One Voice trips, including last year, successfully securing funds for the South San Joaquin Irrigation District Surface Water Connection Project.

“In the recent past, our participation has been very positive and the results have been positive for the city,” said Councilmember Leo Zuber.