How will expected Amazon warehouse affect Turlock traffic? Documents show road plans
The developer of an expected Amazon distribution center in Turlock plans to improve roads, install a traffic signal, and designate routes for truck traffic, a permit shows.
Seefried Industrial Properties agreed to separate heavy truck and local employee traffic among other provisions in a minor discretionary permit for the one-million-square-foot warehouse in the Turlock Regional Industrial Park.
The city of Turlock approved the permit in February and recently provided it to The Bee in response to a California Public Records Act request.
The permit and other documents do not name Amazon, but strong indicators show Amazon will operate the distribution center and is the referenced “large internet retailer.” The city also signed a nondisclosure agreement with Seefried, the project applicant, preventing officials from confirming the warehouse tenant slated to employ at least 700 workers at the site.
Nevertheless, the minor discretionary permit outlines specific traffic plans for the planned facility just west of Highway 99 and on the southwest corner of Fulkerth Road and Tegner Road. Installing a traffic signal at that intersection is one aspect. Seefried will also build a driving lane, bike lane, parking lane, sidewalk and three driveways along Fulkerth in front of the project site, per the permit.
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Seefried further agreed to pay for extending Tegner from Fulkerth about a quarter of a mile south to the Turlock Irrigation District lateral canal. The plan similarly involves three types of lanes, a sidewalk and landscaping. The Turlock City Council voted to accept Seefried’s payment for the Tegner extension on March 9.
The project applicant must also add sidewalks and landscaping along Fransil Lane, where it plans to add another three driveways, per the permit. To make the warehouse accessible by public transit, Seefried also agreed to set up two bus stops on the perimeter: one on Fransil and the other on Fulkerth. The city requires Seefried to install bus turnouts and amenities such as benches, solar-powered lighting and low-dome bus stop shelters.
Turlock permit describes truck routes
To separate heavy truck from local employee and foot traffic, the permit says Seefried will establish a sign system to direct trucks to designated routes. Seefried plans to limit truck traffic, except for local delivery trucks, to Fulkerth Road, West Main Street, West Linwood Avenue, South Walnut Avenue, Washington Road and Tegner Road. In general, the developer is set to emphasize trucks and out-of-area employees drive on the west side of the facility.
Meanwhile, local employees will be encouraged to access the warehouse via Fulkerth Road, West Canal Drive, Castor Street and West Linwood Avenue, per the permit. Two of those streets overlap with ones designated for trucks, and it is unclear how Amazon will enforce employees to drive the respective routes.
Other businesses in the 2,600-acre Turlock Regional Industrial Park include Blue Diamond, Foster Farms, US Cold Storage and Valley Milk. Plans show the warehouse being a mile drive from the Costco on Tegner and less than half a mile from Dust Bowl Brewing Co. on Fulkerth.
Completion dates for the warehouse construction varies in city documents. The uniform application Seefried signed in August lists a April 2022 completion date, while another states September-October 2022.
Bee reporter Kevin Valine contributed to this report.
