BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield City Council passed a resolution Wednesday that prioritizes bike lanes and other traffic safety measures as part of the city's broader effort to improve road safety. The measure passed 4 to 3.
During Wednesday night's meeting, council members heard a presentation from Public Works Director Zachary Meyer focused on traffic safety policies for the construction and improvement of city streets.
"What does this traffic safety resolution do? So first thing, it prioritizes the Urban Street Design Guide when the city is rehabilitating and developing city roadways," Meyer said.
The plan also focuses on proactive infrastructure, with an emphasis on long-term safety, efficiency and accessibility for all road users. Traffic safety priorities outlined in the resolution include narrower travel lanes, lane reductions, buffered bike lanes and lower target speeds.
Several council members spoke in support of the resolution.
"We need to build our streets so that people are encouraged to be safer. Yes, I am passionate about this. I'm passionate about people dying on our streets all the time, and if we can make it safer I want to make it safer," Council Member Bob Smith said.
Council Member Eric Arias also voiced support for the measure.
"I think it's a worthwhile investment. That is the reason why we continue to do the work that we do, and I certainly think that this is taking us a step taking another step in the right direction. So I'm looking forward to being able to approve tonight's item," Arias said.
Olivia Snider, owner of Snider's Cyclery and Locksmith in Bakersfield, welcomed the resolution.
"I'm excited because Bakersfield has been doing a lot of things for cyclists and they've been putting a lot more lanes in to begin with. So it's great that they're officially making it known that that is what their priority is is cyclists and safe driving," Snider said.
Not all council members supported the measure. Some critics argue bike lanes go unused and cause traffic congestion.
"I'm not opposed to bicycle safety or the complete streets, but I'm kind of hesitant to adopt another policy. You know, it's like we all the time we' we're developing policies and laws. I'm just a little concerned that it's going to affect future councils flexibility in road design, so I'm going to oppose this," Council Member Larry Koman said.
Council member Zack Bashirtash also sided with Koman.
"I think this is just super one sided and it doesn't it doesn't fit what our community is asking for," Council member Zack Bashirtash said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
