City applies for Active Transportation Program grants

On Wednesday evening, April 1, the City of Tehachapi hosted a public meeting held at the Tehachapi Police Department’s community room, located at 220 West C St. The city was asking for public input into several grant funding opportunities provided by California’s Active Transportation Program. The program focuses on promoting non-vehicular transportation such as bicycling and walking in a safe and healthy manner.

The city had been successful in obtaining around 2.5 million in grant funding from the last cycle of this program when two of their five proposed projects received grants. According to Jay Schlosser, Tehachapi City Engineer, public input carries a lot of weight in grant funding decisions.

Among the projects proposed was the building of a barrier or fence along the H Street side of the railroad tracks that would encourage people to walk to the railroad crossing at Green Street instead of dangerously hopping the tracks. The possibility of a pedestrian corridor at Mill Street was also discussed but would have to include negotiations with the railroad.

The second project on the city’s list is the paving of the Antelope Run walking path between Tehachapi Blvd. and Valley Blvd. to make it safer for pedestrians and bicycles. The project would contain a rest area on both sides of Valley Blvd. There is also a wet crossing that would be raised to become a dry crossing

Third on the list is the “North Tehachapi Bike Lane Loop”, which is proposed to be on the north side of Highway 58. There was also much discussion of ways to make the Mill Street bridge safer for bicycle riders. Current plans are to pave and stripe bike lanes on the bridge as well as improve the guard rails. To do more than that would require proof of more bridge usage than can currently be shown.

The city is asking for any additional suggestions and ideas by April 15. Please contact Marsha Smith at City Hall by calling (661) 822-2200 before that date. The grant applications will be submitted in June and letters of support are an essential part of the grant application process. Sample letters will be available from Marsha at City Hall, located at 115 S. Robinson St. Tehachapi, near the end of April.