Ceres residents who routinely use Highway 132 through Modesto to access Bay Area workplaces will be benefitting from the completion of phase 1 of the State Route 132 West Project.

The city of Modesto celebrated the milestone with a Thursday ribbon cutting at the new Rosemore Avenue bridge.

Work began in December 2019 on the $100 million 3.5-mile expressway alignment to relieve traffic congestion along 132. The project has been in the planning phase for over 60 years.

“As a child, I remember the energy and excitement while discussing this project around my grandparent’s dinner table,” said Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen. “It is amazing to see a project that has been 60 years in the making finally come to life.”

The project provides an east-west alignment of 132 from Needham Street in downtown Modesto over Highway 99 all the way to Dakota Avenue. Traffic can then connect to Maze Boulevard a short distance to the south.

Sections of the new road are above surface streets while some sections are below grade level with bridges for local roads.

Speakers at the ribbon-cutting included Zwahlen, Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) Executive Director of Rosa De León Park, Supervisor Terry Withrow, California Transportation Commission Chair Lee Ann Eager, and Modesto City Councilmembers Jenny Kenoyer and Tony Madrigal.

“Caltrans District 10 is proud of our association with the SR-132 West project and our partnerships with the City of Modesto, Stanislaus County, and the local council of governments for seeing it come to fruition,” said Caltrans District 10 Director Dennis T. Agar. “A project of this magnitude requires cooperation, and we celebrate that collaboration as much as the completion of this beautiful highway.”

To learn more, visit the project website at https://www.stateroute132west.com