The first visible signs connecting southeast Manteca to its future is a wide graded swath cutting through an almond orchard.

On the western end, the rough outline of a roadway reaches Atherton Drive south of Woodward Avenue.

The eastern terminus is being carved out along Austin Road.

The connector being created between the two major arterial roadways has been named Singh Street.

It’s not to honor Mayor Gary Singh.

But it is a nod to the growing presence of Punjabi Americans in South Manteca.

Singh is an extensively used Punjabi surname and middle name meaning lion that has deep roots in the Sikh religion.

It is also the perfect name for what would, when finished, will seem to be a relatively short stretch of pavement of little consequence.

Quite the contrary.

The road, which is being built to make circulation work to and from the replacement Austin Road interchange that will start next year, also connects southeast Manteca to its future.

The complete makeover of the interchange and the neath surface road will help unlock 1,050 acres to future development.

Zoning in place will accommodate  upwards of 13,000 jobs between set asides for business parks and other employment centers.

It also, based on yields of various housing types, could provide homes for 10,200 people.

The potential impact can’t be overstressed.

The area has the potential, as zoned, to increase employment opportunities in Manteca by roughly 25 percent.

As for the possible addition to the city’s population, it would add just about the equivalent of a ninth of Manteca’s existing residents.

While the road work now underway will eventually help set the stage for additional development, the most immediate impact on southeast Manteca will be traffic circulation.

The improvements are all connected to the first phase of the 120-99 connector project now underway. 

It is being orchestrated by the San Joaquin Council of Governments that oversees the countywide Measure K one cent sales tax that helps make such road projects — as well as transit endeavors such as ACE — possible.

Traffic signals will be installed at Woodward Avenue and Atherton Drive.

Atherton Drive is also being widened to four lanes at a point south of where it will intersect Singh Street.

Traffic signals also are part of the new alignment of the Woodward Avenue and Moffat Boulevard so that the Woodward crossing of the railroad tracks is at a 90-degree angle.

Woodward Avenue will also have five lanes — including a left turn lane — crossing the track.

The project will construct a connector road — Singh Street — from Austin Road  to Atherton Drive south of Woodward Avenue.

After that work is completed in early 2025, the second stage of phase one will begin.

Major construction will start on adding a second connector ramp from the eastbound Bypass to southbound Highway 99.

The daytime construction will not require any freeway closures.

At the same time, the existing Austin Road overpass built in 1955 is being demolished.

It will temporarily eliminate the ability to cross Highway 99 using Austin Road.

The work will allow the adding of freeway lanes on Highway 99 as well as constructing the replacement overpass for Austin Road.

The replacement bridge will be four lanes with ramp turn lanes similar to what is in place on the Lathrop Road overcrossing on Highway 99.

The replacement bridge for Austin will also span the railroad tracks to eliminate the current at-grade crossing.

It will mean those driving north on Austin Road approaching the freeway will need to turn left on the new connector street being built, then right on Atherton, then right on Woodward, and then right on Moffat to reach the southbound Highway 99 onramp when work is closed.

 The Austin Road ramps on the northside of the interchange will be permanently closed. They will be added back if and when Manteca can come up with funding for the construction.

The northbound off-ramp to Austin Road will be closed for a week for new construction.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com