|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
| |||||
|
|
| |||||
| |||||||
State of the Vision – January 2002
Transportation**Strategy #1 – Create additional revenue sources to increase priority for state and federal transportation funding.
No progress noted.
Action item 1: No Progress noted.
Strategy #2 – Increase pedestrian pathways and bike routes
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1-2: City and County staff continue to look for opportunities to expand and improve our bikeway facilities through various means including when roads are resurfaced and re-striped, when roads are newly constructed, and when in the course of regular maintenance bikeway striping can be installed.
Strategy #3 – Encourage completion of route 58.
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1-2: Both the City and County recently completed a study by U.R.S. Griener to study a systems approach to major roads and freeways in Metropolitan Bakersfield. Both the City and County adopted alternate #15 from this report as the preferred plan for future roads and freeways.
Strategy #4 – Recognize the link between land use and transportation.
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1-4: No specific progress noted.
Action item 5: The 2010 Plan update initial draft has been completed to include pertinent Vision 2020 policies. The City participated in the relocation and construction of the new Amtrak station, which is adjacent to the downtown and nearby entertainment venues, hotels and public buildings.
Strategy #5 – Encourage joint metropolitan transit policies/goal consensus between City, County and the public
Significant progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1-2: Joint transit policies between the City and County, with public consensus, will be established during the 2010 General Plan update process. The initial draft has been completed to include pertinent Vision 2020 policies. The plan has been forwarded to the consultant to prepare the required environmental documents for further public review and comment.
Strategy #6 – Expand the public transportation system
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action 1: The Kern Regional Transit annually performs and unmet needs study to determine opportunities to increase the number of routes and service levels.
Action item 2: Lots of discussion and willingness for collaboration to solve this issue, but no progress noted.
Strategy #8 – Obtain community consensus on the location for the high-speed rail station in Greater Bakersfield.
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1-2: The City Council and the Board of Supervisors will be conducting a joint meeting in early 2002 to discuss the best location for the High Speed Rail station in Bakersfield.
Strategy #9: Provide a long-term plan for airport infrastructure:
Significant progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1, 5: The Airports Department has worked closely with Congressman Bill Thomas on funding for needed projects at Meadows Field. The County is in the process of seeking funding from the FAA to update the Airport’s master plan and Congressman Thomas has requested $7.3 million in FAA funds for 2002 to extend the runway. The Department has purchased 236 acres that are contiguous to Meadows Field to ensure compatible development and to discourage residential encroachment.
Action items 2-4: No progress noted.
Strategy #10: Educate community on topics such as cargo opportunities, international gateways and flight availability.
Progress noted, efforts are ongoing.
Action items 1, 3, 4: The Airports Department regularly runs print advertising and uses a wide variety of venues, such as public presentations and speaking engagements, to promote the benefits of flying from Meadows Field. The Department’s “Make a Difference” program includes an agreement from local air carriers to try and keep their fares from Bakersfield within $40 of their fares from Los Angeles on the same itineraries. It is promoted to all major travel agencies throughout the County. Fares can be adjusted if they exceed the program differential of $40. The Department’s marketing plan includes direct promotion of this program to larger businesses and corporations.
Action item 5: The Airports Department is working with Caltrans to improve signage and hopes to have new signage installed in Fall 2002.
Action items 2, 6, 8: No Progress noted.
Strategy #11: Reconstitute the Governance of the Kern Council of Governments (KernCOG) to provide for more influence for the largest population center, Greater Bakersfield (for example, the need for support of the airport and airport expansion).
No progress noted.
Action 1: No progress noted. It is also noted that a great deal of evaluation and consideration would be required for the County to develop a position on this Strategy.
