NEWMAN – City Council members last week approved a list of proposed local street projects which would be funded through a sales tax measure going before Stanislaus County voters in November.

Most of the city’s anticipated revenues from the half-cent sales tax increase would go to a pavement management program which improves and maintains local roadways. Four million dollars would be earmarked for that program.

In addition, the plan calls for construction of sidewalks and bike routes to create safe routes to schools, installation of a traffic light at Highway 33 and Inyo, reconstruction of L Street from Merced to Inyo and right-of-way improvements along Inyo from L Street to Canal School Road.

“We tried to balance between major projects and long-term maintenance,” explained City Manager Michael Holland. “There is also discretionary money in the plan. This is a 20-year plan, so the council needs to keep some flexibility for future projects that come up.”

All that is contingent, of course, on passage of the countywide transportation tax measure in November.

Cities are identifying specific projects so voters know what local benefits the measure would bring.

“We wanted to demonstrate to the community that there are projects here, and to explain how we will use that money if the measure is approved,” Holland explained.