Congestion Relief Alternative for SR99

Description

SJCOG, in partnership with the City of Ripon, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms to evaluate and develop implementable near-, mid- and long-term solutions to address recurring cut-through traffic congestion in the City of Ripon.  This congestion is caused by vehicles exiting the state highway system to bypass congestion on SR 99 and SR 120.Significant congestion on SR 120 and SR 99, combined with the widespread use of navigation applications such as Waze and Google Maps, routinely diverts regional commuter traffic through the City of Ripon. As traffic is dynamically routed to the fastest available path, local streets are increasingly used as cut-through routes.  The local streets were not designed to accommodate sustained regional traffic volumes, resulting in localized congestion and community impacts.Mark Thomas was previously retained to evaluate near-term mitigation measures, Attachment A; however, as documented in prior studies, those measures were not well suited to addressing ongoing commuter diversion.  Also, a persistent challenge with any localized mitigation strategy is that it may provide temporary relief in one location by merely shifting traffic issues to other locations.This RFP seeks to identify solutions that are practical, effective, and capable of advancing toward implementation.The study will begin after the completion of the SR 99/120 Connector Project Phase 1A, which is anticipated to be completed in summer 2026. This study will address congestion relief strategies across multiple time horizons:Near-term (0–2 years)Mid-term (2–7 years)Long-term (beyond 7 years)A key alternative requiring particular emphasis