Environmental report out on Rosedale widening
BY ANTONIE BOESSENKOOL Californian staff writer aboessenkool @bakersfield.com
The city's Thomas Roads Improvement Program office released a draft environmental impact report for the planned widening of Rosedale Highway on Friday, kicking off a 45-day public comment period.
The plan is to widen Rosedale from four to six lanes between Allen Road and Highway 99. Also, the road would be built to go over the railroad where Highway 58 crosses the San Joaquin Valley Railroad rail line between Mohawk Street and Landco Drive.
Construction would happen in three parts. The first phase would be from Calloway Drive to Highway 99. The second would be from Allen Road to Calloway Drive. Crossing the San Joaquin Valley Railroad would be the last phase.
Based on the draft report, the city expects to decide that the project won't have a significant effect on the environment. That could change, however, depending on feedback from the public.
The report says the project wouldn't impact "wild and scenic rivers," parks, farmland, floodplains, water quality, plant species or pedestrian or bicycle facilities.
The project is already in a major transportation corridor and would have a "less than significant" effect on existing and future land uses, emergency services, traffic, noise and natural resources like wetlands, according to the report.
Included in the project are mitigation plans for burrowing owls and San Joaquin kit foxes. If burrowing owls are found within 250 feet of construction sites and can't be avoided, TRIP staff would have to make a mitigation plan for the owls.
In the case of the San Joaquin kit fox, the Rosedale project would permanently affect 1.2 acres and temporarily affect 6.6 acres kit foxes use to forage and for dens. The project could affect one potential kit fox den and more traffic on the road could mean a greater risk of kit fixes getting hit by cars, according to the report.
Several mitigation measures are planned, including having a U.S. Fish and Wildlife-approved biologist survey for kit fox dens near and in the planned construction site. If dens are found in the site, TRIP staff would need to ask permission from the federal agency to remove them.
Design changes to help kit foxes cross the highway without being hit by cars could be used, according to the report.
Also, the project would remove 13 "industrial/commercial uses" and one "non-conforming residential use" and also require moving utilities, according to the report.
The report is available online at www.BakersfieldFreeways.us or tinyurl.com/7d8ypfb. The city is planning two events for public comment on the report:
* The Planning Commission's 5:30 p.m. Jan. 5 meeting at City Hall Council Chambers, 1501 Truxtun Ave.;
* An open house 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at The Connection Assembly of God Church at 7220 Rosedale Highway.
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