BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — After further consideration since the previous meeting in May, the Bakersfield City Council approved a contract exceeding $14 million to begin construction in the H Street Corridor improvement project.

During the regular meeting Wednesday evening, the City Council approved the $14,372,735 contract for construction with Griffith Company in a 5-1 vote.

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Ward 3 Councilman Ken Weir was the only one who voted no, while Ward 6 Councilman Zack Bashirtash abstained from voting due to his proximity to the affected area.

The project aims to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety, implement traffic calming elements, enhance aesthetics and more, according to city officials.

The construction is set to occur on H Street from Highway 58 to Golden State Avenue.

City officials are looking to have construction begin in late July and wrap up in about a year, finishing the portion near Bakersfield High School before students return to class for the Fall 2026 semester.

Most of the contract would be paid with federal and state funding, according to officials. The city received about $11 million through the city’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant program and about $3.2 million through the Active Transportation Program.

Eric Arias, the council member representing Ward 1, said he knew someone who worked in the same building as him whose life was “completely altered” following an accident that occurred while she was crossing the street on H Street.

“And I’m just reminded of the fact that there are many other stories like that throughout the city of Bakersfield and it’s time that we make the change that is so desperately needed along this corridor,” said Arias.

Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur said there is opportunity for the H Street Corridor to become an example that can be used to improve other corridors throughout the city.

“I am very optimistic and glad to see this come online and I’m really looking forward to using an H Street that looks and feels very different and is actually responsive to how people are already using it so everyone in the roadway can feel safe,” said Kaur.

Ward 5 Councilman Larry Koman said while he still has issues with the project, there are also “a lot of good things” included such as street lights, landscape improvements and trees.

He said while he thinks the project will work out for the rest of H Street, he is worried about traffic properly moving through one lane in each direction in the downtown area — specifically the area south of Truxtun Avenue to 24th Street.

The contract was initially brought to the City Council at its last meeting May 27, but members unanimously voted to postpone it to the next meeting, expressing desire to hear from affected individuals in the area further.

The H Street Corridor is one of the major corridors going into downtown Bakersfield.

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Some of the features planned in the project include bike lanes on both sides of the road, 74 decorative lights along the corridor, 174 new trees, street lights, bulb outs, reduced travel lanes and more.

The city has held several public meetings to speak with the community, in particular the business owners and residents along H Street. According to officials, community members mostly complained of vehicles driving too fast in the area.

There have been 319 collisions recorded on H Street in the past five years. One bicyclist and one pedestrian died over those years.

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