Elected leaders have entertained the idea of a multi-modal station in downtown Ripon for quite some time.

They have the land for it. In 2017, the City of Ripon purchased the property and received $3.9 million of Federal Transit Administration funding to go towards the design, environmental and construction phases of the project.

At tonight’s 6 o’clock meeting, the Ripon City Council – inside the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave. – will again discuss the multi-modal station as the Regional Transportation Project coupled with the South San Joaquin Irrigation District Surface Water Supply plan as the Local Priority Project and the Ripon Community Athletic Foundation Stadium Project as an endorsement for the upcoming 2019 San Joaquin One Voice trip.

One Voice of the San Joaquin Council of Governments is a legislative program that provides the platform to effectively advocate for policy and regulatory reform and for the preservation of funding programs crucial to projects that bring economic prosperity to the county, according to City Administrator Kevin Werner in his staff report.

The multi-modal station, for example, promises to provide a number of benefits, not only for local residents but for the region – downtown economic vitality as well as eventually becoming a regional ACE train station.

Plans call for construction of a 1,000 square foot station near downtown, consisting of off-street parking along with a community meeting room, bus loading and staging area.

Given the earmarked FTA money, this estimated $11.1 million still has a funding gap of about $7.2 million, which staff is recommending this part as the City’s transportation request for the One Voice trip planned for May 5 through 9 in Washington, D.C.

The projected cost for those planning to attend is $3,000.

The SSJID Surface Water Project would supplement the City’s municipal groundwater supply with treated surface water.

The plan for this Local Priority Project calls for constructing a pipeline from the existing water transmission pipeline located at the intersection of Jack Tone Road and French Camp Road to Ripon’s water distribution system would help conserve the groundwater supply while provide renewable energy along with safer and cleaner drinking water.

RCAF, as the One Voice Endorsement, is in the home stretch of the Stadium Project, and is seeking to replace the bathrooms with ones that are up to the current construction code and ADA requirements.

RCAF was founded in 2007 to address the community needs as well as renovating the seven-decade-old stadium with an all-weather track, infrastructure, grass playing field and sidewalks, to name a few.

For more information on the meeting, click on to www.cityofripon.org.