Monte Vista Avenue, one of the city’s most complained-about thoroughfares, is finally undergoing a full rehabilitation process that will see the currently deteriorated road conditions spring back to life.

The highly-anticipated project will include the repaving of segments along the roadway, getting rid of the road’s infamous potholes while using rubberized asphalt.

According to City Engineer Mike Pitcock, the City is working hard to have the project completed before the end of the year.

“We are pushing the contractor hard in hopes that we are completed in early December,” said Pitcock. “If the weather does not cooperate and we don’t get some warm sunny days, it could be pushed to the spring.”

Using rubberized asphalt, which was first utilized earlier this year during the City’s Fulkerth rehabilitation project, Pitcock says weather plays an important role in the drying process. The City opted to use the rubberized asphalt as it provides a “quieter, longer-lasting” roadway for Turlock residents.

The Monte Vista Rehabilitation project will upgrade concrete access ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, while also installing a concrete median that will close the existing opening at the intersection of Monte Vista Avenue and Niagra Street across from California State University, Stanislaus.

According to City staff, the decision to close the intersection came as a safety measure as the area regularly sees a number of car accidents caused by unprotected left-hand turns and U-turns.

Traffic signal induction detectors will be installed throughout the project area, which runs on Monte Vista Avenue between Crowell to Geer Roads.

The project comes with the hefty price tag of approximately $916,982, which will be funded primarily through Federal Regional Transit System Plan grant dollars, with gas tax excise dollars covering any overages.