Council approves contract to extend Pinon Street west A state grant of $885,299 is expected to pay about 88 percent of the cost of extending Pinon Street west from Dennison Road to Brandon Lane — and help reduce dust from traffic currently using the dirt road.
The Tehachapi City Council approved a contract with a bid amount of $902,735 from Griffith Company during its meeting Sept. 6.
Development Services Director Jay Schlosser said the bid was the lowest of four received, subject to a final Disadvantaged Business Enterprises review.
The project will cost about $1 million with the remaining expense coming from gas tax revenues or other city sources, Schlosser said.
The state funding comes from Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds through the Kern Council of Governments.
Although the city hoped to get to work on the project right away, it may be delayed due to ongoing negotiations with Southern California Edison because of utility lines in the area, he said.
The dirt road is often used by motorists, especially before and after school, because it provides an alternative to Valley Boulevard for people going to and from Tehachapi High School.
Mayor Phil Smith said completion of the road will improve circulation within the community.
The project will include a two-lane road with a Class II bicycle lane.
Also on the city’s drawing board is a project to improve Dennison Road between the high school and Tehachapi Boulevard, adding stoplights at Dennison’s intersections at Tehachapi and Valley boulevards.
Smith also reported transportation news from a recent meeting of Kern COG. He said representatives from the state High Speed Rail Authority were present and there was discussion about the need to relocate Highway 58 to accommodate the rail line. He said officials indicated their willingness to coordinate this work with Cal Trans’ efforts to build planned truck passing lanes on east Highway 58 between the vicinity of Bena Road and Tehachapi.