West Park frontage to get face lift

For many years local residents and especially Little League families have complained about the lack of sidewalks on the south side of D Street by the TVRPD facilities and Little League fields. Thanks to a Transportation Development Act (TDA) grant received by the City last year, through the Kern Council of Governments, West Park is going to get a face lift.

At the August 17 City Council meeting, Development Services Director Jay Schlosser announced that the City had been awarded a Transportation Development Act (TDA) grant in mid-2019 in the amount of $290,845 to construct new sidewalks, concrete curb drains, driveway edges and a retaining wall along the frontage of the TVRPD facilities. The project was put out for bid in July with an August 11 due date and DOD Construction, a company already working in Tehachapi, was awarded the contract for $189,136. No City funds will be needed for the project.

The City of Tehachapi is eligible for $136,043.40 in fiscal year 2020/2021 from SB1 (2017 gas tax) funds. To receive the money the City needs to identify where the funds will be used. Last year the funds were allocated to the ATP Rail Corridor Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project currently under construction. The City Council approved allocating these funds to that project again to cover some of the city’s matching funds set aside for that project.

The Council also approved an agreement with the Kern Council of Governments to assist in the production of a Local Road Safety Plan. KernCOG has offered to partner with local agencies to use the plan in applying for future Highway Safety Infrastructure Program (HSIP) grants.