Parents and principal press Bakersfield for traffic calming near Jefferson Elementary; council refers 30‑day response
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Summary
Parents, a volunteer cross guard and Jefferson Elementary principal reported repeated near‑misses and speeding near the school; Vice Mayor Gonzales referred staff to pursue speed humps or other measures within 30 days and requested a report back to parents and the school community.
Parents, a volunteer cross guard and the principal of Jefferson Elementary told the Sept. 11 Bakersfield City Council they face daily traffic risks around the school and asked the city to act.
Zira Doroteo, a parent who volunteers as a cross guard, said drivers frequently exceed the speed limit on Lincoln and King streets and described multiple near‑miss incidents in which children and staff were nearly struck. "We need a 4 way stop right here on King and Lincoln," she told the council, and asked for speed bumps and other traffic calming measures.
Anna Rivera, Jefferson Elementary principal, detailed a history of requests and said a 2021 survey for a crossing light had not produced the needed result: she asked the council to evaluate a traffic light at Beale/Jefferson and the 178 exit ramp, a four‑way stop at Lincoln and King, painted crosswalks in all directions, and speed bumps on King from Lincoln to Bernard.
Public Works staff said prior improvements included ADA ramps and refreshed crosswalk markings and that the city is evaluating the site; staff noted any improvements near freeway on‑ramps will require coordination with Caltrans and may take additional time.
Vice Mayor Andre Gonzales moved to refer the matter to staff and asked that the city "work within the next 30 days to install speed humps, within the neighborhood or some alternative to reduce traffic," and requested that parents and school staff receive a response describing the traffic studies and timeline for action.
Councilmembers emphasized prioritizing elementary schools in the urban core and asked the multimodal and traffic safety committee to make school‑area safety a high priority going into 2025.
