New Costco sparks panic among California neighbors: Im worried about the traffic

A Costco, gas station and lineup of restaurants could soon turn a quiet Bakersfield-area neighborhood into a major shopping destination — and neighbors are already bracing for the crowds.Tammy York, who lives directly across from the proposed development in Gossamer Grove, initially welcomed the idea of having a Costco and gas station practically in her backyard.But she said the prospect of a flood of shoppers has her worried about traffic at an intersection she believes is already jammed.“Community Drive is already packed all the way back at 8 o’clock in the morning.

I think the traffic is just gonna be the worst part of it,” York told KERO-TV.The project is proposed near Seventh Standard Road and Calloway Drive and could bring a Costco, gas station and several restaurants to the rapidly growing neighborhood.York said she has already witnessed multiple crashes at the intersection and worries the new development could also bring more crime.“I’m just worried about the crime, and I’m worried about the traffic.That’s my main concerns,” York said.Still, the prospect of having a Costco and gas station so close to home has plenty of appeal.York said she currently drives about seven miles to Rosedale to fill up, partly because nearby Chevron stations charge higher prices.Her husband, Mike York, said the couple moved to Gossamer Grove in 2020 in part because of its separation from the rest of Bakersfield.But the neighborhood has grown considerably since then, and he acknowledged that a development of this size was bound to follow.“I was initially kind of excited.

And, you know, one of the main reasons was gas station — because it’d be nice to just hook up my trailer, pop across the street, get gas and be on my merry way,” he said.He nevertheless shares his wife’s concerns about crime, telling KERO-TV he worries a major shopping center could attract homeless people and lead to more theft, which he said is already a problem in the area.The bigges...