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Cyclist and council debate Garces Circle and Buena Vista striping; staff says Caltrans responsible for Garces work
Summary
A public speaker called the Garces Circle redesign 'a terrible design' and raised safety concerns for cyclists; staff said the circle work is a Caltrans project, while councilmembers debated Buena Vista Road striping and agreed to monitor outcomes.
A Bakersfield resident and longtime cyclist told the City Council the redesign of Garces Circle is unsafe for people on bikes, igniting a broader council discussion about recent street‑striping changes and how the city will evaluate demonstration projects.
Zachary Griffin, a special‑education teacher and local cyclist, told the council the newly redesigned Garces Circle forces cyclists onto sidewalks at the end of buffered bike lanes and called the layout "a terrible design," asking who is responsible and what it would cost to fix the corridor. "I'm curious who would be responsible for that," he said, urging council members and staff to ride the corridor with him during peak hours.
City staff responded that the Garces Circle work was a Caltrans project carried out in cooperation with the city. "This is a Caltrans project," a staff representative said during the meeting, and the city did not offer an immediate corrective plan on the floor.
Council discussion then moved to issues on Buena Vista Road, where recent re‑striping narrowed lanes and added buffers. Council Member Freeman said the change created congestion at peak times and warned that long‑term development plans (he referenced about 7,000 planned units in adjacent areas) could make the corridor congested in the future. Staff said traffic counts suggested two lanes could handle the current traffic but recommended monitoring the corridor over the next six months to evaluate signal backups and circulation.
Council members and staff emphasized a need for clearer outreach on demonstration projects and for more detailed planning to provide protected, cost‑effective bike facilities rather than temporary striping that could endanger riders or create long‑term traffic issues.
Key quotes: "...without mincing words it's a it's a terrible design." — Zachary Griffin "This is a Caltrans project." — Unidentified staff (Caltrans/city liaison)
Next steps: Staff will monitor the Garces/Buena Vista demonstration projects and report back with data, and council members expressed interest in further study and community outreach to find more permanent protected bike‑facility solutions.
