Teichert Construction, Myers and Sons, Mark Thomas and Company, and the San Joaquin Council Of Governments (SJCOG) and its partners recently celebrated the grand opening of the State Route 99/120 Connector Project. SJCOG, which represents the region’s eight cities and San Joaquin County, took the lead in a construction project for the first time in its history because of the project’s sweeping regional significance. Over the past two years, the project tackled one of the region’s busiest transportation hubs and modernized the key connector’s aging infrastructure to handle the growing demands of Northern California’s population and economy.

The new girders for the Austin Road Bridge span SR 99 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

From the project start in July 2024 to completion this month, July 2026, the scope of work featured the addition of two new dedicated lanes to the high-traffic State Route 120 connector ramp leading to southbound State Route 99, to relieve congestion and reduce commute times. Reinforced concrete pavement was placed for the widening of the eastbound State Route 120 connector.

Replacing Austin Road Bridge
The 1950s-era Austin Road overcrossing was taken down and replaced with a longer, wider structure, expanding from two to four lanes, and spanning a new State Route 99 lane and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

In January of this year, the 711 Materials boom began to place concrete on the new Austin Road Overcrossing.

Surface street upgrades included the expansion of East Woodward Avenue from two to four lanes, plus new median improvements, streetlights, and an upgraded railroad crossing. In addition, a new street, Singh Road, was built between Austin Road and East Atherton Drive to maintain direct access to Moffat Boulevard.

Two 711 Materials mixers provide a steady supply of concrete through horizontal booms.

Figures on the scope of the work:

  • 4,319 cubic yards of structure excavation
  • 2,524 cubic yards of structure backfill
  • 437 drive piles with a total end-to-end length of 4 miles
  • 19,688 linear feet of furnish piling
  • 7,760 cubic yards of concrete to rebuild the bridge/overpass
  • Nearly 2 million (1,904,639) pounds of reinforcing steel (rebar)
  • 1,180 headed bar reinforcements
  • 34,472 pounds of miscellaneous metal
  • 2 acres of bridge deck supported by the girders
  • 63 girders — 115 to 159 feet long with a total end-to-end length of 2 miles

CRCP paving continues into the night for the right lane of the eastbound 120 to southbound 99 connector.

Project Partners

  • Project Sponsor: San Joaquin Council of Governments
  • Owners: Caltrans and the City of Manteca
  • Participating SJCOG Member Cities: Escalon, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Ripon, San Joaquin County, Stockton, and Tracy
  • General Contractor: Teichert Construction, Sacramento, California
  • Designer (Engineer): Mark Thomas & Company Inc., Sacramento, California
  • Construction Manager (Engineer): WSP USA Inc., Sacramento, California
  • Bridge Subcontractors: Myers and Sons Construction LLC, Sacramento, California
  • Crane Company: Bigge Crane and Rigging Company, San Leandro, California

The cost of the first phase is $77.5 million. The second phase is currently estimated to be around $144.67 million.

Teichert’s Gomaco paver rolls along with a burlap drag.

“This project is absolutely vital for the people who live, work, and play here,” said Christina Fugazi, Stockton Mayor and SJCOG Board Chair. “It is a gateway to jobs, education, entertainment, adventure, services, and more. More than 180,000 vehicles move people and goods through the interchange every day. Not only is it near some of the fastest growing cities in California, it opens up travel throughout Northern California, from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Sierra Nevada and up and down the state, from Red Bluff to Bakersfield.”

“This major transportation hub serves cities, which are home to an array of logistics and fulfillment centers,” Fugazi continued. “Those businesses depend on the interchange and the region’s transportation system to get their goods to customers. It’s also located in the San Joaquin Valley, known by some as the ‘Breadbasket of the World’ for its vast agricultural output of products that must also get to market.”