One of the dumbest highway project in the entire US:
The secretary for the Westpark Home Owners Association, a group of residents whose houses would be destroyed if the Centennial Corridor freeway segment is built, threatened the Bakersfield City Council with a lawsuit Wednesday if the project continues.
“If you approve the validation action this evening, we will take you to court,” WHOA secretary Marc Caputo told the council as more than 40 Westpark residents sat and listened to council members share their doubts about going into debt to pay Bakersfield’s share of the federally funded Thomas Roads Improvement Program.
After more than an hour of debate, the council voted 6-1 to approve a validation action. It was the legal first step toward later borrowing as much as $270 million, to match $570 million in federal funds secured for the city by former U.S. Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield.
“I’m just imploring you to consider a no-build option,” said resident Kimberly Squires. “The money’s just not there. The benefit’s small, the harm is great.”
Ward 1 Councilman Willie Rivera joined in the soul-searching, wondering if the city will have enough funds to repay the $270 million, years from now, while simultaneously maintaining local roads.
The city is going to borrow a shitload of money for a highway that will destroy a neighborhood, while doing little to alleviate traffic. Not that Bakersfield has much traffic…
Systemic Failure 
[…] current ambitions is to build a highway through a thriving residential neighborhood. Network blog Systemic Failure calls it “one of the dumbest highway projects in the entire U.S.” Neighborhood […]
This is a test of wills between two groups, one the engineers still being train in the mentality of more roads is better for the country. The second group is fighting to protect there investment of many years, and the peace and tranquilly of the neighborhood. Back many years ago, there would be a good argument for more roads, however its becoming a point of diminish returns, and no real organization on we tie in where we work, were we shop, and where live, as this should be are priorities as the next generation grows up and will need and want the same or better lifestyle as we now enjoy.
Well, this IS Bakersfield. (My fiancee grew up there and has very little positive to say about it. The endangered kit foxes were quite marvellous, but as far as people and government go, it was in many ways a real hellhole.)
This is the city where people are scared of an elevated railroad viaduct going near (not through) the high school. But demolish an entire housing division to pave it over for roads, why, that’s just peachy!