Grand Jury report puts Bakersfield’s green bike lanes front and center

Want to confuse car drivers?  Need to create unsafe streets?  Want to spend money cities do not have to create bikes lanes, in the middle of car lanes?  Want to FORCE cars to go through bike lanes to make a right turn?  Bakersfield has found the way.  I will note that they same goes for Thousand Oaks in Ventura County.  Bikes lanes, financed by taxpayers have been driving a game of Russian Roulette.

“As green bike lanes become more prevalent across Bakersfield, a Kern County Grand Jury report has raised questions about their impact and cost-effectiveness. The report highlights concerns over whether these lanes are more of a nuisance than a benefit, citing Bakersfield’s poor weather and air quality as deterrents for cyclists. It also suggests that future lanes should only be constructed if they cost less than $15,000 per mile.”

Grand Jury report puts Bakersfield’s green bike lanes front and center

by William Silverstein, Bakersfieldnow,  5/27/25   https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/grand-jury-report-puts-bakersfields-green-bike-lanes-front-and-center

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — (KBAK/FOX58) As green bike lanes become more prevalent across Bakersfield, a Kern County Grand Jury report has raised questions about their impact and cost-effectiveness. The report highlights concerns over whether these lanes are more of a nuisance than a benefit, citing Bakersfield’s poor weather and air quality as deterrents for cyclists. It also suggests that future lanes should only be constructed if they cost less than $15,000 per mile.

Cindy Parra, a board member of Bike Bakersfield, a non-profit organization focused on cyclist safety, expressed her support for the bike lanes. “I live and I work where I can bike,” said Parra, who has been an avid cyclist since childhood. She emphasized the importance of safe cycling practices, stating, “I ride slow and I am slower even now.”

Kern County Grand Jury ReportClick here to view the PDF file.

Jonathan Vegas, president of Critical Mass, a group that organizes large cycling meetups, voiced concerns about the safety of riders due to distracted drivers. “We need our space, too. People are not going to get off their phones, people are not going to stop being distracted, and they are going to keep doing it. And so we need that bike lane to have our space,” said Vegas.

The report’s findings have sparked a debate over the value of investing in bike lanes. Both Parra and Vegas appreciate the safety features of the lanes, such as the white buffer poles designed to protect cyclists from cars. They question whether the cost of not expanding the bike lanes is worth the potential risk to cyclists’ lives.

“Might not be able to go to the gym. Might not be able to pick up his kids anymore. Might not be able to ever walk again. Is that 15,000 worth it or not?” said Vegas. Parra added, “If we can save one life from a buffer bike lane, how much do you put on a life?”