Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves H Street Complete Streets project with bike lanes, bulbouts and new lighting
Summary
Council approved a roughly $14.3 million H Street corridor improvement project on June 10 that will convert portions of the road from four lanes to three, add protected bike lanes, bulbouts, street lighting and $2.4 million in trees and irrigation — funded mainly by CMAC and ATP grants with a local match. Council recorded a dissenting vote and one abstention.
The Bakersfield City Council on June 10 approved the H Street Corridor Complete Streets project — a 2.3‑mile streetscape and safety program running roughly from State Route 58 north to SR‑204 — after staff presented design, outreach and funding details.
The project is funded primarily by two competitive grants: an $11 million CMAC award and a $3 million Active Transportation Program (ATP) allocation, with an expected local match in the $2.6–$2.7 million range. Staff described a multi‑phase construction plan and said the scope includes conversion of some four‑lane segments to three lanes with a center left‑turn lane, installation of protected bike lanes with buffer striping, pedestrian bulbouts to shorten crossing distances, upgraded street lighting, signal work, and roughly $2.4 million earmarked for trees and irrigation along the corridor.
Why it matters: The corridor runs through neighborhood and downtown commercial areas where staff and advocates say vehicle‑pedestrian conflicts and speeding are frequent. The improvements aim to reduce crash severity via traffic calming, improve pedestrian crossing safety, and make biking and walking safer and more inviting for residents and schoolchildren.
Design and evidence presented
Public works staff explained that certain corridor segments currently under 15,000 vehicles per day are good candidates for road‑diet conversion; when traffic volumes fall beneath those thresholds, case studies show crashes and injuries often decline after conversion. Staff cited examples including Lancaster and Orlando where a similar conversion reduced crash frequency and injuries.
Project features and costs
The staff slide deck itemized major cost groups in a $14.3 million project: mobilization/demolition ($1.7M), paving/striping ($4.2M), concrete work including bulbouts ($2.6M), streetscape/landscape and irrigation ($2.4M for trees/irrigation), and street lighting and signal upgrades ($1.8M). Staff proposed breaking construction into four phases to limit community disruption.
Public outreach and council questions
Staff reported community outreach spanning multiple events and door‑to‑door contacts with businesses; some downtown property owners expressed concern about lane reductions while schools and community groups urged additional pedestrian safety measures near Bakersfield High School. Council discussion focused on protecting travel for school periods and adding right‑turn lanes at specific intersections: staff said several locations would receive design adjustments and that adaptive signal control is already in place along much of the corridor.
Vote and next steps
The council approved the project; the clerk recorded Councilmember Weir voting no and Councilmember Basher abstaining (Basher recused himself earlier for proximity). Staff said they will proceed with final design, permitting, a phased construction schedule, and ongoing community notification as the project moves toward construction contracting.
Construction timing and oversight
Staff indicated they would manage the project in phases so disruptions are limited and will return to council as required by grant conditions should scope or funding change. The grants include reporting and local‑match provisions; any unspent grant funds at project close will be handled in coordination with the grant administrators.
