Residents have the chance tonight, March 27, to offer comments and concerns about the ongoing McHenry Avenue Corridor Improvement Project.

A hearing will be hosted at the Escalon Community Center, 1055 Escalon Ave., from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., to discuss the project.

The McHenry Avenue Corridor Improvement Project includes three component projects: Widening of McHenry Avenue to accommodate a two-way center left-turn lane from just south of Jones Road to south of the Stanislaus River, and improvement of the McHenry Avenue/East River Road intersection; replacement and widening of the Stanislaus River Bridge on McHenry Avenue to accommodate the proposed roadway improvements; and replacement and widening of the South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) Main Canal Bridge on McHenry Avenue to accommodate the proposed roadway improvements.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) lead agency in the preparation of an Initial Study/Environmental Assessment (IS/EA) for the McHenry Avenue Corridor Improvement Project, as assigned by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). San Joaquin County is designated as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in cooperation with Stanislaus County.

Members of the public are invited to attend, and members of the project development team will be available to talk about the improvements. Written comments at the hearing will become part of the public record. Also, a court reporter will be at the forum to receive dictated comments for the public record.