BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Spanning 30 miles across Bakersfield, the Kern River Parkway serves as a means for alternative transportation as well as recreation. Now, thanks to a new proposal, all the trail has to offer will be closer to those in the northwest.
The City of Bakersfield is in the works of adding 6 miles to the parkway. The new path will run north to south along the Friant-Kern Canal, starting at 7th Standard Road.
“The entire pathway is a tremendous asset to the community. Not only residents and businesses, but visitors who come here," said Gregg Strakaluse, Director for the City of Bakersfield Public Works. “We’re required as the city managing the project to not only design it but design it in such a way where we’re protecting the environment and we’re doing it at the best cost we can.”
From 7th Standard, the path will stretch to Truxtun Avenue where it will connect with the rest of the parkway. Along the way, the trail will be surrounded by orchards, residential areas, and a Riparian landscape.
While the addition of this path brings changes to areas inhabited by wildlife like the San Joaquin kit fox, the Swainson's hawk and the Burrowing owl, the Bureau of Reclamation found the impact to the species will be minimal given that the site is already exposed to human disturbance through maintenance and homeless. In fact, the city hopes that recreational use of the trail will improve areas along the canal.
Throughout the path, the city also has plans for a railroad crossing, overpasses and bridges that will connect the path to various areas.
“We have two connections, one to the Madison Grove Park north of Olive Drive and also connection to the Riverlake's Park north of Coffee Road," said Ravi Pudipeddi, the project manager for the new path.
Majority of the cost for the additional 6 miles and construction will be covered by state and federal funding. In total, the project is estimated to cost $8.2 million, with $4.3 million coming from the Active Transportation Program, which is state funding, and $3.4 million provided by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program. $446,000 is coming from city funds.
The city is hoping to have the project finalized and break ground by the Spring of 2023.
