Expect more road construction and detour signs to be popping up around town in the coming months, as the Turlock City Council is expected to approve a number of roads projects at their next meeting on Tuesday.

The council will consider paying over $800,000 to Hensley’s Paving of Hickman for the Fulkerth Road widening project. The project will see upgraded pedestrian facilities installed along Fulkerth Road in the approximate area between Auto Mall Drive and N. Tegner Road. The project widens the north side of the road, replaces curb, gutter, and sidewalk, updates traffic signals and lighting, and adds drainage improvements to support the wider roadway. These upgrades reduce congestion, improve access, and bring the corridor in line with the City’s Master Plan for future growth and development, according to the city staff report. The project will be funded through the Capital Facility Fees.

Another roads project on the council’s agenda is Provost & Pritchard Task Order No. 2 for $6.1 million, which includes work on 10 roadways:

·      Rose Street from Cahill Avenue to North End

·      Lyons Avenue from E. Main Street to Colorado Avenue

·      Oak Street from Cooper Avenue to E. Canal Drive

·      N. Denair Avenue from E. Main Street to E. Olive

·      N. Denair Avenue from E. Canal Drive to E. Hawkeye Avenue

·      Hamilton Street from E. Main Street to Marshall Street

·      Sierra Street from E. Canal Drive to N. Berkeley Avenue

·      Tahoe Drive from E. Main Street to Yosemite Street

·      Shasta Street from E. Main Street to Sierra Street

This project will be funded through Measure A (citywide sales tax) bond proceeds. The anticipated start date for these projects is late March.

The city council could also potentially spend more than $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds at Tuesday’s meeting.

According to the current city agenda, the council will take up two items that require the use of ARPA funds.

First, the city will look to enter an agreement with nonprofit Legacy Health Endowment to continue the Person-Centered Care Program, for $300,000.

The city council will also consider as a consent item approving the purchase and installation a Verkada Security Video System, at a price of just over $243,000 for the city’s Public Safety Facility, 244 N. Broadway.

The police department’s current system is aging and requires replacement, accord to city staff reports.

The city’s participation in the PCC program was first recommended by the city’s ad hoc committee on homelessness in February 2022. Two months later, the city approved a $200,000 grant using ARPA funds to augment the $650,000 funding that LHE secured for the PCC pilot program.

The $200K provided by the city was used to increase the program’s scope solely for Turlock residents.

The city approved agreements with LHE in 2023 and 2024 for $400,000 on each occasion.

Eligible seniors and disabled residents of Turlock qualify for services that range from respite care, homemaker services, mental health assistance, palliative care, food assistance, medication assistance, home modifications, durable medical equipment support, and access to primary caregivers through this program.

LHE president and CEO Jeffrey Lewis will provide an update on the program. 

Sixty-nine participants are currently being served in Turlock — with 43 of those being female. The average age of enrollees is 76 years old. Fifty-six of the program’s enrollees reported two or more chronic conditions, while 64 enrolled reported needed assistance with two or more daily living activities.

On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council is also expected to:

— Vote on a temporary moratorium on the establishment of new, or the relocation or physical expansion of existing tobacco retailers, also known as smoke shops.

On Dec. 17, the Turlock Police Department, through its Street Crimes Unit, conducted a multi-agency operation addressing smoke shops operating within the city of Turlock.

Attempts were made to inspect five smoke shops; two were found to be closed during normal business hours.

The three shops that were inspected were found to be in major violation of several state laws.

At the first shop, enforcement personnel documented 42 packages of flavor-enhancer additives, 15 vaping products, 18 packages of THC products, and approximately 30 packages of flavored tobacco products.

At the second inspected location, enforcement personnel documented 17 packages of flavor-enhancer additives, 44 THC products, including vape pens and cartridges, and nearly 60 packages of flavored tobacco products. 

The third location turned up hundreds of packages of flavor-enhancer and flavored tobacco, more than 250 individual flavored nicotine cartridges, and roughly 20 packages of THC products.

The city council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Yosemite Room at city hall, 156 S. Broadway.