Bakersfield council adopts Active Transportation Plan to expand walking and biking network

The Bakersfield City Council on Jan. 22 adopted a long-range Active Transportation Plan that maps prioritized walking and bicycling connections across the city and positions Bakersfield to compete for state and federal grants to build them.

The plan, described by city staff and consultants as a state-required planning document and eligibility tool for funding, proposes 19 trails totaling about 28 miles of separated and protected bicycle/pedestrian facilities, about 453 miles of neighborhood connectivity and sidewalk improvements, and lists an estimated $616,000,000 construction cost for full buildout.

City staff and the consultant said the plan is a high-level, long-range blueprint intended to guide project prioritization and to improve safety and equity. Daryl DePonsier of Kimley Horn and Associates, who led the consultant presentation, said the plan used crash data, demographic measures and proximity to schools and parks to rank corridors and that it integrates existing city, county and KernCOG plans. "The objective is to find the best opportunities to improve walking and biking activities in the city," DePonsier said.

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