BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The city of Bakersfield is looking to move forward with construction in the corridor improvements project along H Street by July, according to city officials.

The project was first approved in fiscal year 2022-2023, according to the Bakersfield City Council meeting agenda for Wednesday.

Plan to beautify and narrow H Street to 3 lanes moving closer to reality

It included plans to reconfigure roadways, improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other multimodal paths, aesthetically enhance landscapes and more along H Street from Highway 58 to Golden State Avenue.

The proposed contract is between the city and Griffith Company for $14,372,735, according to the agenda.

City staff is also asking for the City Council’s approval of up to $300,000 in contingency for “unforeseen conditions” during construction.

In May, four contractors responded as the final bidders for the project per the city’s request. Griffith Company proposed the lowest amount among those four, city staff said.

If approved by the City Council, the construction is expected to begin in late July, according to city spokesperson Joe Conroy. The project will be completed in four phases to reduce traffic impacts.

The project is expected to take 12 months in total to complete, with the city aiming to finish construction for the section near Bakersfield High School before students return to school in the fall, Conroy said.

The city is also looking to amend an existing agreement with Quad Knopf — the contractor responsible for the design and preparation of construction documents — for the second time, the agenda said.

The initial agreement with QK signed in February 2023 was in the amount of $431,085, and the first amendment in January 2025 increased that by $366,250. The amendment would increase the amount by $150,000, for a total amount of $947,435.

According to city officials, the amendment also includes expanding the scope of work for additional design review and adjustments to the plan following public feedback.

The H Street Corridor Improvements Project has a total budget of $16,905,806, city officials said.

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The funding for this project comes from state and federal funding and city budget, and the city says there are enough funds to award the construction contract, cover the contingency and increase compensation for QK.

The city has held several public outreach events to receive input on the project’s designs since 2024.

The City Council is being asked to approve the contract with Griffith Company, contingency and amendment with QK during its meeting at 5:15 p.m. at 1501 Truxtun Ave., according to the agenda.

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