BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is considering increasing the speed limit in four areas of Bakersfield, three of the areas are suggested to increase by five miles per hour.
The Public Works Department of Kern County recently conducted a traffic survey. The survey suggests changing speed limits along some streets in the area necessary. Now, the Board of Supervisors added the proposal to their agenda.
One of the speed limits increases would include Calloway and Brimhall Drive. The survey suggests changing from 45 to 55 miles-per-hour, which has one family asking the Board of Supervisors to reconsider.
The Bell's live right off of Calloway Drive in NW and is one of the streets that is being considered to receive a speed limit increase.
Stacey Bell, one of the residents, says this would be a mistake and safety concern.
"I think people are already driving 55 miles-per-hour and we have had several accidents right next to our house," Bell said. "Our fence has been hit, somebody has been through our front yard and now our garage. Our neighbors behind us have had people wreck in front of their house seven to eight times."
Bell says her family has lived in this house for 28 years and her husband built their extended garage, which is now his mancave by hand.
On February 9, while the couple was out of town, an alleged drunk driver crashed into their garage doing 80 miles-per-hour.
The driver caused over $50,000 in damages, including their limited edition Camaros. The Bells say the will have to repair the garage and its doors are currently boarded up.
"Quite typically he [my husband] would have been working out there and that could have catastrophic," Bell said. "Our neighbors work out in their yard all the time during the day."
Bell says they were not aware of the agenda item for the Board of Supervisors considering increasing the speed limit in this pocket.
She adds that 45 miles-per-hour is fast enough if people followed the speed limit.
"I would like to see it monitored a little bit more by our law enforcement," said Bell.
The second proposed speed limit increase is just a few blocks over at the intersection of Brimhall and Jenkins Road.
The county is looking to increase the speed limit by 5 miles-per-hour, from 40-to-45.
The same increase is proposed for Union Avenue to South of Fairview Road and 200 feet north of South Chester Avenue.
This area could increase from 45 miles-per-hour to 50 miles-per-hour.
The last proposed change would be for Hughes Lane between Terrace Way and Brundage Lane, with a speed limit increase from 30-to-35 miles-per-hour.
According to the Board of Supervisor's agenda, a new survey must be conducted every five years of the previous survey. In this case, the last one is due to expire soon.
These proposals will appear on the agenda on Tuesday.
