City of Bakersfield Approves Vision Plan for Downtown Bakersfield and High-Speed Rail Station

May 10 2018 | Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bakersfield City Council voted yesterday to approve the “Making Downtown Bakersfield” Station Area Vision Plan and Environmental Impact Report that will serve as a plan to continue revitalization efforts and guide future development of Downtown Bakersfield.

The City of Bakersfield, in partnership with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, launched a station-planning and community engagement campaign in 2015 to hear from local residents and business owners and their vision for downtown Bakersfield.

“The vote to approve this vision plan by my council colleagues demonstrates the City’s commitment to working with high-speed rail and our continued investment into the future of Downtown Bakersfield,” said Bakersfield City Councilmember Ward 2 Andrae Gonzales.

During the Station Area planning process, the City identified and analyzed opportunities and addressed challenges in order to develop a Vision Plan that focuses on multi-modal (pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, transit) transportation, establishes an urban design, and creates an economic development strategy that optimizes future growth in Downtown. Other areas examined in the Station Area plan include: jobs, housing, retail, entertainment, art, cultural amenities, pedestrian and bicycle access, parking, streetscape improvements, lighting, wayfinding, open space and recreation, and sustainability.

The project area is generally bounded by F Street to the West, 38th Street to the North, Union Avenue to the East and California to the South; however, the Vision Plan is intended to benefit the entire Community. Adoption of the Plan establishes a strategic vision for the continued evolution of Downtown Bakersfield and that will help streamline future Downtown development.

“The approval of this plan marks a significant milestone in the ongoing progress of the high-speed rail program and the partnership between the Authority and the City of Bakersfield,” said Diana Gomez, the Authority’s Central Regional Director. “We look forward to working with the City to promote economic development and enhance multimodal connections.”

Click the button below to read the full contents of the Station Area Plan and Environmental Impact Report.