State Highway Route 132 and Bird Road (Vernalis) Interchange

The recently completed State Highway Route 132 (SR 132) and Bird Road (Vernalis) Interchange is a culmination of 20 years of efforts made by San Joaquin County, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and six (6) competing quarry operators (Producers) to improve safety, traffic operations, and the delivery of needed aggregate materials to market. This project was 100% funded by the Producers who recognized the project need and agreed to set aside those competing interests to deliver a transportation project which benefitted them as well as the region. The Producers agreed to establish a community facilities district to levy a special tax and incur bond indebtedness. San Joaquin County served as the project administrators, managing the project from development through construction. Caltrans provided project oversight and handled all right-of-way acquisition activities. Prior to construction Bird Road at SR 132 consisted of an at-grade intersection, with stop signs on the Bird Road approaches. The at-grade intersection sits in a segment of four-lane divided highway 2 miles east of the SR 132/Chrisman Road interchange and 1 mile west of the Interstate 5 (I-5)/SR 132 interchange. The area is subject to severe fog conditions during the winter months, which presents an added safety concern for already slow-moving gravel trucks accessing the highway, which also carries significant Bay Area commute traffic. The primary users of the intersection were the six (6) quarry operators—A. Teichert and Son, Inc., Granite Construction Company, DSS Company, West Coast Aggregates, Inc., Cemex, and DeSilva Gates Construction. Combined, the Producers deliver over 10 million tons of aggregate to the market each year. The purpose of the project was to improve traffic operations on SR 132 by eliminating existing vehicle conflicts. The interchange eliminates conflicts between through traffic on SR 132 and traffic turning left or right to or from SR 132 and Bird Road, as well as eliminating all cross traffic coming from Bird Road. This project was championed by former Caltrans Director Will Kempton who recognized the critical role aggregate materials play in delivering projects of all nature, and the inherent need to provide the infrastructure to get those materials to market to assist in keeping the State’s economy moving forward. The project, in general, consisted of realigning and widening SR 132 to allow for construction of an interchange; extending the Lone Tree Creek triple box culvert; realigning Vernalis Road (frontage road); constructing drainage facilities to allow for on-site storm water handling; installing safety lighting and a traffic monitoring system. The delivery of the Vernalis Interchange was a shining example of how cooperative collaboration between private parties and public agencies, along with exemplary diligence, can result in much needed enhancements to the way of life of an entire region of citizens and the traveling public.