Kern County comes through for kids and parents at MLK school

There have been at least two recent news reports regarding parents wanting a crosswalk for their children to cross on their way to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in southeast Bakersfield.

The county of Kern’s Public Works Department has been earnestly working on a crosswalk solution for several weeks.

Cheatham Avenue is the safest option for the students living at the Camellias apartment complex. It only requires students to walk 300 feet south to the intersection.

A mid-block crosswalk in general is not a safe option for crossing four lanes of traffic. These kind of crosswalks give pedestrians a false sense of security and may cause liability issues. Lawsuits should be avoided.

The situation at Mardi Gras Court and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is even more complicated as there are two separate protected left turn lanes in the direct vicinity of the desired mid-block crosswalk that some mothers are requesting.

Vehicles using these protected turn lanes potentially shield the view of the thru traffic of the pedestrian and create a dangerous situation for motorists and pedestrians.

County Public Works has decided to install two solar lights, four-way street stop signs with flashing beacons and stripe a crosswalk at Cheatham Avenue.

This project will be completed in a few weeks.

The Bakersfield City School District has agreed to provide a crossing guard.

The county is also currently working on improving the Belle Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard intersection to add a crosswalk on the south side of the traffic signal to provide more convenience for pedestrians.

The safety of pedestrians and the commuting public are of the utmost importance to the county Public Works Department. Ensuring everyone is safe and there are no collisions is paramount.

It is important that everyone follow the law by yielding to pedestrians. Pedestrians must cross the roadway at the legal locations at Cheatham Avenue and Belle Terrace.

It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children to cross at these two intersections. Children should not run across the middle of streets.

These projects are examples of how our county government strives to work for its residents, not against them.