COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Spinning the Wheel for the 7th Street Bridge Project
Posted October 13, 2026 · 7th Street Bridge Project Team · 3 min read
“Sometimes community outreach starts with something as simple as spinning a prize wheel.”
Virginia Madueño | Communications Contractor for the 7th Street Bridge Project
That’s how Virginia Madueño, Communications Contractor for the 7th Street Bridge Project, describes the project’s booth at local community events such as the Shackelford Elementary School Back to School Night and the Modesto 7th Street Flea Market and Livestock Auction. Between the produce stands and vendor tables, the booth offers a friendly place for neighbors to learn what’s ahead for the bridge.
A project of this size touches a lot of people. Drivers, cyclists, nearby residents, local businesses and families who have crossed the 7th Street Bridge for generations all have a stake in what happens next. Reaching all of them takes more than a website, and the booth is one of the ways the project team shows up in person.
What Happens at the Booth
The booth is open to everyone, whether someone has followed the project closely or is hearing about it for the first time. “Families can stop by, ask questions, pick up information, and learn more about what’s ahead for the project,” Virginia says.
Visitors can pick up brochures covering the project timeline, detours and how to see live updates. These are designed to be easy to take home and share with a neighbor or family member who couldn’t make it to the market. Team members are on hand to answer questions in person, from the big picture of why the bridge is being replaced to everyday details like how construction may affect a regular route.
“And for the kids, there’s a little extra fun. They can spin the wheel and win a prize to take home.”
The prize wheel has become one of the booth’s most recognizable features. It gives kids something to look forward to, and it gives parents a few relaxed minutes to look over the materials and talk with the team.
More Than Brochures and Giveaways
The prize wheel draws people in, but the conversations are the real point. “These events are about more than brochures and giveaways,” Virginia explains. “They give us an opportunity to meet people where they are, have conversations face to face, and hear directly from the community.”
Meeting people where they are means going to the places the community already gathers, rather than asking people to come to a formal meeting or search for information online. A weekend market is relaxed and familiar, and people can stop for as long or as briefly as they like.
Face-to-face conversations also go both ways. Residents can ask follow-up questions and get answers right away, and the project team hears what matters most to the people who use the bridge. Those conversations help the team understand which questions come up most often and where more information is needed.
What We Hope You Take Home
Every conversation at the booth comes back to three things. “We want people to walk away knowing what the 7th Street Bridge project means for their community, where they can find information, and most importantly, how they can stay involved.”
Understanding what the project means starts with the basics: what is changing, why it matters and what to expect along the way. Knowing where to find information means people don’t have to wonder about the next step, because updates are posted on 7thStreetBridge.org.
The project team welcomes questions at any stage, and every conversation helps shape how the project communicates with the community.
Connecting People, Too
For Virginia, the booth reflects what the project is really about. “Because building a bridge is more than just connecting two sides,” she says. “It’s about connecting people too.”
The new bridge will link neighborhoods and carry people across the Tuolumne River for years to come. Until then, the project team will keep showing up at markets and community events, one conversation and one spin of the prize wheel at a time. If you see the booth, stop by and say hello.
Questions or Comments?
Email Us At construction@pw.stancounty.info
Seventh Street Bridge Project · Stanislaus County | City of Modesto
