Manteca firefighters who will staff the new fire station on Lathrop Road when  it is completed later this year may not have far to go to reach some accidents.

At least that is the concern of several Del Webb at Woodbridge residents.

There have been three accidents in the past month at the Madison Grove Drive and Lathrop Road T-intersection where the fire station is being built on the northeast corner. By comparison, there was just one accident there during all of last year.

Bill Goodwin was among the residents that have brought safety concerns about the intersection to the city’s attention.

He believes the city should either remove or trim back shrubs and trees that may be contributing to sight line issues or -if possible - install traffic signals that can cost over $300,000.

“No beautification project every installed by a city should endanger its citizens,” Goodwin told the Manteca City Council on Tuesday.

The accidents happen when drivers that want to turn across Lathrop Road from Madison Grove pull out too far and are struck by westbound vehicles.

Another possible contributing factor expressed by Del Webb residents was the sun in the early morning that blinds the Madison Grove drivers as well as during the afternoon commute hours.

Public Works Director Mark Houghton and his staff will study the intersection to determine just exactly contributes to the accidents and determine the best way to address them.

Madison Grove is striped as four lanes east of Madison Grove and three lanes west of the intersection with one lane westbound. One of the two westbound lanes terminates as a right turn into Madison Grove.