U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California announced on Friday a $1.5 million federal award that will help pay for a sewer line extension to accommodate new housing and amenities in southeast Bakersfield.
The award was part of $37.2 million Padilla said will help fund 16 projects in the Central Valley. The money was part of $241.8 million in federal spending the senator said he secured for the state in fiscal 2026.
“As Californians struggle with the rising cost of living under President Trump’s harmful economic agenda, these crucial investments will make a tangible difference for Central Valley residents,” he stated in a news release.
The release said the money will modernize and expand the wastewater system along South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to support the construction of more than 5,000 new housing units.
Earlier estimates were that the overall project would cost $5.5 million.
A city spokesman said by email the project will be a major development for an area that historically has been underserved.
“Creating this sewer line will provide new opportunities for residential and commercial development, benefiting the residents of Ward 1 and ultimately the city,” he wrote.
“We believe the commitment from Senator Padilla shows how vital this project is and how it’s viewed on the federal level. We are appreciative of the senator’s efforts and continued support to the city of Bakersfield and our community.”
Construction on the project began in the first quarter of last year on an empty lot west of South MLK Jr. Boulevard and East White Lane.
The construction job is planned to measure 1.5 miles and support construction of hundreds of fourplexes and a new grocery store, among other amenities.
From Washington Street, the sewer line extension is planned to follow East White Lane and then south along South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard by June. The plan is to continue south and west, reaching Pacheco Road by September. At that point, at the corner of South Martin Luther King Jr., a sewer lift station is planned to be built.
The wider infrastructure project, encompassing more than just a sewer line, is expected to cost $16 million, $9 million of which remained to be raised when construction started.