The Turlock Police expect over 10,000 people to be attending the Turlock Swap Meet, held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, while numbers have been reported that an estimated 30,000 people are involved with the Turlock Swap Meet in one way or another. This means a lot of unusual traffic that some people may not know about or remember to think about.
“If you’re not planning on attending the event, please pick another route around the area,” said Turlock Police Sgt. Cervenka, who leads the Turlock Police Traffic Safety Unit. “The fewer cars we get around here (the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds), the easier it is for everyone. Take a little longer route and it will save you a lot of frustration.”
In years past, traffic would back up near the Golden State Boulevard and Fulkerth Avenue intersection all the way west to the freeway.
Traffic changes this year should eliminate that traffic congestion near the major intersection.
Previous traffic congestion caused by late sellers entering a gate right by the Golden State Boulevard and Fulkerth Avenue will no longer be an issue with a new traffic plan and Turlock Swap Meet entry plan. Making sure every seller has their seller packets ready before trying to enter.
“Every seller has to go through a check-in down there (Canal/Soderquiest) before they come up here (Fulkerth),” said Sgt. Cervenka regarding the gate and Golden State Boulevard and Fulkerth intersection. “We’ve had traffic back up to the freeway on sellers’ day in the past and this should eliminate that.”
Soderquist Road will be closed for big transfers, intended to relieve congestion on Fulkerth near Golden State Blvd. Soderquist will continue to be closed to through traffic as it has been in the past.
A traffic plan of no turning from Fulkerth onto Soderquist and no U-Turns down Fulkerth will continue as implemented last year, as well as putting up No Parking barricades down Fulkerth and all around the fairgrounds.
The Modesto Area A’s worked with the Turlock Police Department to implement the traffic plan, while paying for it all as well.
“Modesto A’s pay’s for everything; police time, all the barricades, rental costs… this cost the City of Turlock nothing,” said Sgt. Cervenka.
With all the traffic plans the Modesto Area A’s and Turlock Police Department have worked together on, people should still expect heavy traffic.
“Expect a mass amount of traffic,” states Sgt. Cervenka. “The weather’s supposed to be great.”
This is a rain or shine event and is attended by “regulars” and bad weather has never stopped the usual tens of thousands who come to Turlock for one of the best swap meets in California, so expect that many more people with good weather.
The traffic unit and volunteer staff will be deployed all around the area of the Turlock Swap Meet, continuing to monitor and provide a safe environment.
Read more about the Turlock Swap Meet:
Turlock Swap Meet 2012
