$1.8 Million Approved for Safer School Crosswalks in Oildale and East Bakersfield

OILDALE, Calif. — A transportation safety investment aims to make the routes children take to school more visible to drivers in Oildale and neighboring East Bakersfield.

State Senator Shannon Grove announced $1.8 million for Kern County’s Safe Route to School ADA Crosswalk Safety project in August 2026. The official funding announcement describes new flashing warning beacons, roadway signs and accessible curb ramps at multiple uncontrolled multi-lane intersections.

What the environmental record says

The California State Clearinghouse filing lists improvements at six existing crossings serving seven adjacent schools in unincorporated Oildale and East Bakersfield. Nearby roads include Olive Drive, Roberts Lane, Bernard Street, Mount Vernon Avenue and East California Avenue. This list describes the broader program, not a claim that every road is within Oildale itself.

Funding is not the same as completed construction

The state’s July 2026 filing describes the project in the design phase. By August, state funding had been announced. Those records do not establish a commissioning date for every beacon or crossing.

Families should continue following current crossing guards, traffic signals and school instructions rather than assume the new equipment is operating at a particular location.

How to follow the project

Kern County Public Works is the agency preparing the improvements. State records list planner Logan Clairday at 661-862-8882 as a public project contact. Parents seeking specific intersections and construction notices can consult the department and their child’s school office.

Illustrative photo: Robin Jonathan Deutsch / Unsplash. Not an installed Oildale school-crossing beacon.

Sources: Office of Senator Shannon Grove, August 28, 2026; California State Clearinghouse, July 1, 2026.

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