TRIP projects provide benefits 25 years out
Bill Guerrero’s recent letter (“Roads projects taking too much time, money,” Oct. 26) attacking the city of Bakersfield Thomas Roads Improvement Program provides much grist to set the record straight.
The projects completed by TRIP in Bakersfield are more than “basically eight miles and a couple of interchanges,” as Guerrero opines.
The following is a list of projects completed since 2006:
■ 7th Standard Road-Highway 99 Santa Fe: $74 million
■ Highway 178/Fairfax Road Interchange: $32 million
■ Highway 58 Gap Closure Project: $18 million
■ Westside Parkway: $191 million
■ Highway 178/Morning Drive Interchange: $25 million
■ Highway 58/Hosking Avenue Interchange: $21 million
■ Rosedale Highway Widening: $18 million
■ Highway 178 Widening Project: $23 million
■ Calloway Ramps-Westside Parkway: $0.8 million ■ Truxtun Avenue Operational Improvements: $6.5 million
■ Beltway Operational Improvements: $88 million
■ Sewer Relocation Package: $2 million
■ Westpark-Local Streets and Soundwall: $4.2 million
■ Kern River Bridge Imp. (Cent. Phase 1): $42.4 million
■ Stockdale Enos Roundabout: $6.2 million
■ 24th Street Improvements: $28 million
■ Belle Terrace Operational Imp. (Cent. Phase 2): $32 million
■ TOTAL (construction only): $618 million
In addition to the construction cost for these projects, TRIP has invested about $782 million for the preparation of the permitting and environmental clearance, utility relocations, right-of-way acquisitions, and design for each project listed above for a total cost to date of about $1.4 billion.
The majority of this funding came from federal and state earmarks, grants and programs directed exclusively to the improvements of roads.
The influx of dollars to the local economy would have not been possible without TRIP. Former Rep. Bill Thomas was the impetus behind this seminal program to improve our roads and freeways.
As per the “outdated freeways by the time they are completed,” anyone driving the Westside Parkway, Highway 178, 7th Standard Road or the Hosking Interchange can experience the significant improvements and traffic reductions made along these routes and at these locations.
When these projects were being designed, the proposed improvements were projected to be still functional and to provide benefits 25 years out.
This is called a 25-year design. Traffic is measured at the time the project is proposed and projected 25 years for the design to avoid being outdated.
The current projects under construction including the Centennial Corridor and the Bakersfield Freeway Connector projects are expected to be complete by spring of 2023.