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Kern COG says Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency may transfer right-of-way, advancing California City–Edwards AFB connection
Summary
Kern COG Executive Director reported Feb. 20 that meetings with local agencies, state staff and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency have produced an offer to transfer a 2-mile-by-45-foot swath of right-of-way to Kern County that could help deliver the long-discussed California City Boulevard connection to Edwards Air Force Base.
Kern COG’s Executive Director reported to the Council of Governments on Feb. 20 that recent meetings with local and state stakeholders produced a potential path forward for the long-stalled California City Boulevard connection to Edwards Air Force Base.
The Executive Director said representatives from Assembly Member Lackey’s office, City of California City staff, the Kern County Public Works Director, Caltrans District 9 staff and a congressional staff member were present at a Feb. 3 site meeting. The group drove a dirt road the Executive Director said could be paved to address a history of fatal collisions on California City Boulevard and State Route 58.
As a result of subsequent discussions with the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (AVEK), the Executive Director said the water agency is open to transferring a 2-mile-by-45-foot swath of right-of-way to Kern County, which Kern COG staff said would greatly facilitate project delivery. "We're gonna get a grant within the next month, and it's getting some real traction," the Executive Director said at the meeting.
The report noted ongoing coordination on other regional priorities, including work on missing connectors for movements at the SR-99/SR-58 interchange, shoulder improvements on SR-33, and Union Avenue/State Route 204 projects. The Executive Director said Kern COG and local partners are working to resolve utility and railroad coordination issues on several projects and that the California City-Edwards connection has gained momentum after nearly two decades of discussion.
The Executive Director closed by noting follow-up meetings with the Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency and county public works staff and said a grant award was expected within about a month. The current Kern COG meeting later recessed into closed session; when the board returned it reported no reportable closed-session action.
