Stanislaus County - A long-discussed plan to widen Highway 99 will have far-reaching affects on surrounding counties, according to a consultant for Stanislaus County. This would greatly improve traffic flows in the surrounding area and for the many commuters between Amador County, Lodi, Stockton and Modesto. During a recent meeting of the Stanislaus County Transportation Commission, consultant Alan McCuen said the freeway could expand by one or two lanes each way from Ripon to Briggsmore Avenue in Modesto. The Stanislaus County stretch is estimated to cost $73 million. Under McCuen’s proposal, the county and its nine cities would reserve $2.1 million every two years. He stressed cooperation as the key to moving along a plan that has been in the works on and off for almost a decade. The greatest conflict centers on funding, which currently requires pooling money from each of the valley’s eight counties between Lodi and Bakersfield. McCuen said they are more likely to secure funding through state and federal grants. Other ideas for fundraising include higher vehicle license fees, charging tolls on some segments, and charging drivers based on their mileage. If the eight counties -- San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kern and Kings -- bank 10 percent of their road money, the partners could achieve all of their respective projects in about 24 years, according to a draft finance plan. Going it alone could take several decades, McCuen said. Ken Baxter of the California Department of Transportation cited Amador, Calaveras and Alpine counties as examples for effectively pooling their money to produce projects. Further debate on this ambitious and ongoing project is expected during upcoming meetings of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.