New Costco sparks panic among California neighbors: ‘I’m 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 biggest question now may be whether the neighborhood can handle the traffic that comes with becoming a shopping hub.

Developer Jim Halferty says the answer is yes — because the project comes with a major road overhaul.

Plans call for the southern half of Seventh Standard Road to be expanded to six-lane expressway standards, along with an auxiliary lane for right turns and vehicle acceleration and deceleration. A 30-foot landscaped parkway would also be added.

Calloway Drive would be upgraded to arterial roadway standards, with three lanes in each direction and a fully improved intersection at Seventh Standard Road.

The development would have five access points: two along Seventh Standard Road restricted to right-in and right-out traffic, and three along Calloway Drive with dedicated right-turn lanes.

The central Calloway Drive entrance would serve as the main entrance and get a new traffic signal.

The development would have five access points: two along Seventh Standard Road limited to right-in and right-out traffic, and three along Calloway Drive with dedicated right-turn lanes. The central entrance on Calloway Drive would serve as the development’s main access point and include a new traffic signal.

Halferty told KERO-TV that all of the road improvements would be finished before Costco and the other businesses open.