In the wake of the high number of fatalities on Turlock roadways last year, the Turlock Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit has applied for a grant in the hopes additional funding will curb the deadly incidents.

In 2014, the Turlock Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team handled eight deadly collisions that resulted in the deaths of 10 Turlock residents.

“It was a very bad year for vehicle fatalities in Turlock,” said Turlock Police Traffic Safety Unit Supervisor Sgt. Neil Cervenka. “We have a pedestrian and bicycle problem in Turlock.”

The department has applied for a Traffic and Safety grant in the amount of $130,000 through the California Office of Traffic Safety. If the department is approved for that amount, $70,000 of it would be used to cover personnel costs for special traffic enforcements, particularly those that deal with bike and pedestrian safety, Cervenka told the Turlock City Council Tuesday night.

The Stanislaus Countywide Integrated Traffic Enforcement, a similar operation conducted in 2013, resulted in 83 citations being issued primarily for jaywalking and motorists not yielding to pedestrians.

Additional funds from the grant could be used for driving under the influence enforcements and other traffic issues, such as running red lights and speeding.