BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — “If no noise is made, nobody’s going to know that there’s an issue," said Jasmine Burleson.
Burleson knows all too well the dangers that can lurk along Niles Street. Last January her 16-year-old son, Angel Berumen, was killed in a hit and run while he walking to school along Niles St. and Brentwood drive.
“It's very important for parents to notice these dangers in our community and be able to speak up about it," she said.
On the corner of Beale Avenue and Niles Street, the City of Bakersfield has felt the need to try to make the roads a little safer. In fact they’ve installed these blockades in order to help reduce traffic, however vehicles still hit the blockades.
Now the city is looking to take it a step further, and community members say it couldn't come sooner.
“It’s three lanes of one-way traffic going 50 miles an hour sometimes,“ said Maggie Cushine, Director of Grants Management and Program Facilitation for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County.
Cushine said around 50% of the children who attend their Armstrong Youth Center on Niles St. walk to and from the club. Many of the their kids often have to cross the street to get home, but even that single road can be dangerous.
The City is looking to address safety concerns through the Niles and Monterey Complete Streets Project Map. Officials hope to secure federal funds to increase safety and accessibility along these streets through ADA modifications, raised cycle tracks and placing new trees along the sidewalks. The current map extends from Alta Visita Drive to Virginia Street, with the Boys & Girls Club right in the middle of it all.
“Our kids are doing their best to leapfrog out there," she said. "The City’s tried to kind of slow it down by having this lane closed off, but as you can see people don’t always realize it’s been closed off there and have been some accidents with this pole. It’s been replaced frequently."
The pole Cushine referred to was part of the blockade placed on Niles St. along the lane closest to the Armstrong Youth Center. She said the idea was to limit the area to two lanes to reduce speeding and the distance children had to cross. However, the pole was bent and could even be removed from it's placement.
Along with the pole, Cushine said they've had several vehicles crash into their fence.
Burleson was excited to hear the City was looking for feedback from the community about the project. While the current map doesn't extend to where her son was hit, she hopes everyone will step up and push for greater safety measures for children.
“It takes a village to raise a child and it’s everybody’s business when someone’s child is in danger," she said.
To respond to the City's project, click here.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
