Plan to beautify and narrow H Street to 3 lanes moving closer to reality

Yahoo

29-01-2025

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A two-and-a half mile stretch of downtown Bakersfield might be getting a multi-million-dollar makeover.
Take a good look at four-lane H Street because in a year and a half or so, if the Bakersfield City Council has its way, it could look quite different – quite different to the tune of perhaps $20 million.
H Street, that vital section of downtown that fronts some of Bakersfield's most historic and architecturally significant landmarks, would be going from four lanes to two – one lane each direction with a center turn lane. From State Route 58 north to Golden State Avenue-Highway 204, the road would narrow to accommodate bike lanes and calm the flow of traffic.
H Street would remain four lanes under the rail undercrossing but taper back to three further to the north and south.
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H Street would have three roundabouts at 2nd Street, 28th Street and a major one at 4th Street, plus decorative street lights, additional trees and hardscaping.
Paul Archer of the Public Works Department says, historically, the city's aim has always been to get cars from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
'There's been an impact on bicyclists' and pedestrian safety because of that,' Archer said. 'So our efforts now are to address that type of concern while also allowing for vehicles to travel as smoothly and seamlessly along those corridors as possible.'
Archer says the center turn lanes would have a greater positive impact than people give them credit for.
Not everyone thinks the project is a good idea.
One public works employee who asked that his name not be used, produced a document of dissent titled 'Ruining H Street'. And, more generally, these plans, called Road Diets, have spawned a national conversation about bike lanes and their effect on neighborhood gentrification.
The project is still in the planning and funding stages. It could cost between $17 million and $20 million in local, state and federal money – but that too is uncertain, and the project hasn't yet gone out to bid. The city is still soliciting public input.
If it stays on track, look for construction to start July 2025. We'd have those orange traffic cones for a year, then unveiling 18 months from now.
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