Divine intervention? Lodi pastor calls for traffic signal after latest accident at busy intersection

Yahoo

06-03-2025

Mar. 6—A local church leader is calling for a traffic signal in north Lodi after a vehicle crashed into their building this week.
Timothy Stewart, pastor at Vintage Church, located at 444 W. Turner Road, was taking his children to school Tuesday morning when he noticed several Lodi Police Department patrol cars and Lodi Fire Department personnel in the parking lot.
Stewart pulled over and got out of his vehicle to find a white Nissan Murano had crashed into the northwest corner of the church.
This was the second time in two weeks a vehicle left the roadway and ended up on church property, Stewart said, as a vehicle had run over the flower garden in the other incident.
"Kids walk that area all the time, and we've had some close calls," he said. "I turn left onto Turner from California (Street) five days a week. It's a very precarious situation there."
Stewart said the Nissan's driver told him she was behind several other vehicles stopped at the Edgewood Drive and Turner Road intersection, and attempted to go around them. She was then sideswiped by another vehicle traveling along Turner Road, and hers collided with the church.
"I'm thankful she did hit the church," Stewart said. "If she had hit that gigantic concrete light pole out front, this would have been a very different situation."
No one involved in the collision was seriously hurt, he said, and there was no one inside the church when the Nissan hit the corner.
However, the impact was so great it caused the wall to crack inside the building.
Stewart said he hopes the city will consider placing a stop light at the intersection, given its history of vehicles either colliding with each other or the church.
In March of 2001, a Ford Bronco traveling east on Turner Road struck a Chevrolet Camaro attempting to make a left turn onto California Street. The impact caused the Camaro to strike the church's wall, which had been freshly painted.
Intersections must meet California Department of Transportation qualifications to be considered for traffic signals, including high traffic volume in the area; large numbers of accidents that could be prevented with a traffic signal; high speeds; and be located a considerable distance from another intersection with a traffic signal.
There are signals along Turner Road at Woodhaven Lane, Mills Avenue, Ham Lane, Church and Stockton streets.
It was reported last December that Lodi's newest traffic signal will be going up at the intersection of Victor Road and Guild Avenue, east of Highway 99.
"Steady growth in the industrial area east of SR 99 has resulted in additional traffic impacts," said Public Works Director Charlie Swimley.
He added that a recent traffic signal evaluation determined the intersection meets the state criteria for signal installation. The project will cost $900,000 to $1 million. The money will come from the city's street impact fees.