By Jennifer Health/Medical • New Developments 0 Comments

UC Merced Medical Education Building Gains Final Approval from UC Regents

At their Nov. 15 meeting, the Regents of the University of California gave final approval for the construction of a new medical education building at UC Merced. The vote approved the final design, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) findings and the full budget and financing.

The four-story building, designed by the firm ZGF, will feature 203,500 square feet of instructional, academic office, research and community-facing space and common areas. The project has a price tag of $300 million, funded by a combination of state General Fund appropriations, the campus budget and donor gifts.

“We are very pleased by the Regents’ show of support for medical education at UC Merced,” said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “The lack of quality healthcare options in the region is well-documented, and this new building will enable UC Merced to train physicians uniquely qualified to address the Valley’s health needs.”

The new facility will be home to UC Merced’s medical education pathway, which was developed in partnership with UCSF and UCSF Fresno. The first cohort of students began classes this fall. It will also house:

● The departments of Psychological Sciences and Public Health

● The Health Sciences Research Institute

● Allied healthcare-related programs (developed in partnership with community colleges)

● A range of medical education and general assignment learning environments

● Specialty learning spaces for medical education, general assignment classrooms, and class laboratories to support several new and existing academic programs

This project will comply with the University of California Sustainable Practices Policy, which establishes goals for green building, clean energy, transportation, climate protection, facilities operations, zero waste, procurement, food service and water systems. Supporting UC Merced’s carbon neutrality status, the building will be run entirely on clean electricity, without the use of natural gas.

Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2024 with completion slated for fall 2026. Current growth projections show the facility serving approximately 2,220 undergraduates by 2030.

https://news.ucmerced.edu/news/2023/uc-merced-medical-education-building-gains-final-approval-uc-regents

By Jennifer Hi-Tech • New Developments 0 Comments

Heirloom unveils America’s first commercial Direct Air Capture facility

TRACY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Heirloom, alongside President Biden’s Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, announced the United States’ first commercial Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility, which will use limestone rocks to pull already-emitted CO2 from Earth’s atmosphere in an effort to mitigate the impacts of global climate change. The announcement highlights Heirloom’s rapid technical and business progress and marks a critical milestone for both America and California’s leadership in the race to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius.

Located in Tracy, California, the facility is being formally unveiled today at a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Secretary Granholm, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Koulanakis, the CEO of PG&E Corporation, the head of the California State Building Trades Union, the City of Tracy, elected officials, and community members.

Today’s announcement represents the first DAC facility in the United States to capture CO2, permanently sequester it, and fulfill commercial removal purchases – supporting and helping to cement the leadership of both the United States and State of California to deploy critical climate solutions to meet net zero commitments.

“Heirloom Carbon Technologies, right here in Tracy, California, is the blueprint for how America can beat climate change,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M Granholm, speaking at the official unveiling ceremony.

“This first commercial direct air capture facility is the closest thing on Earth that we have to a time machine, because it can turn back the clock on climate change by removing carbon dioxide that has already been emitted into our atmosphere,” said Heirloom’s CEO and Co-Founder, Shashank Samala. “The capacity of Heirloom’s limestone-based technology to capture CO2 from the air has gone from 1 kilogram of CO2 to up to one million, or 1000 metric tons, in just over two years. We owe it to every climate vulnerable citizen to continue to deploy our technology at the urgent pace required to reach billion-ton scale and beyond in time to stop the worst of climate change.”

“We’ve set ambitious, nation-leading climate goals to cut pollution and accelerate our transition to clean energy,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “Projects like this Heirloom facility are exactly the sort of big and innovative ideas that we’re embracing – using renewable energy to directly remove pollution from our air, all while creating good-paying jobs in the Central Valley. California is creating the model for expanding the economy and fighting climate change.”

This first-of-its-kind domestic DAC facility helps to advance President Biden’s 2050 net-zero goal and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2045 state net-zero targets.

Fully powered by renewable energy – supplied locally by Ava Community Energy – and constructed with union labor, Heirloom’s Tracy facility has been operational for nearly 1,000 hours and is actively capturing atmospheric CO2, which will be permanently sequestered in concrete through a partnership with CarbonCure Technologies. The facility has a capture capacity of up to 1,000 tons of CO2 per year and will deliver net removals to early, catalytic buyers of Heirloom’s CO2 removal credits, including Microsoft, Stripe, Shopify, and Klarna.

This facility was constructed and is being operated consistent with Heirloom’s recently-outlined principles for the responsible deployment of carbon removal – which include commitments that no carbon dioxide removed will be used for enhanced oil recovery and that no equity will be granted to companies whose core business is the production of oil and gas. The Tracy facility was constructed with union labor – in partnership with local affiliates of the State Building Trade Union, including UA Plumbers & Pipefitters (Local 442) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW 595) – demonstrating that green jobs can also be good quality jobs.

Heirloom also announced today a community governance model, which kicks off a process in January of 2024 where community groups will be convened by nonprofits — across the City of Tracy and the broader San Joaquin County — with a mission to bring together the climate technology industry and local concerned citizens. Via quarterly meetings, this process will gather routine community feedback on the facility and its operations and help to steer input for how Heirloom will provide financial and programmatic investments in community organizations.

This first commercial facility demonstrates the rapid pace at which Heirloom’s technology and business has developed since its founding in 2020. Just two years ago, the company – which uses limestone to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere – was conducting experiments in the lab to capture grams of CO2 in a petri dish. Since then, Heirloom has become one of the leading DAC companies in the world. The company raised a $53 million Series A in 2022, with backing from some of the world’s leading climate investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Earlier this year, Heirloom and CarbonCure pioneered the world’s first-ever demonstration of DAC-to-concrete storage – an important, immediately-available storage pathway that is being used to sequester CO2 captured by the Tracy facility. In August, Heirloom and other partners were selected for one of the largest projects under the Biden Administration’s DAC Hub program, with eligibility for up to $600 million in federal funding for a DAC facility in Louisiana. And in September, Heirloom and Microsoft announced one of the largest CO2 removal deals to date, with Microsoft agreeing to purchase up to 315,000 metric tons of CO2 removal from Heirloom over a 10+ year period.

Heirloom’s technology works by using limestone, an abundant, easy-to-source and inexpensive material, to pull CO2 from the air. Using a renewable-energy-powered kiln, the limestone is heated to extract the CO2, leaving a mineral powder that is thirsty to absorb more CO2. This powder is then spread onto vertically stacked trays where it acts like a sponge – pulling CO2 from the air. Once saturated with CO2, the material is returned to the kiln, the CO2 is extracted, and the process begins again. The captured CO2 gas is then permanently stored safely underground or embedded in concrete.

By using easy-to-source materials like limestone, harnessing the power of algorithms to increase the capture capacity of that material, and scaling with modularity, Heirloom’s technology represents one of the lowest cost pathways to permanent CO2 removal. The company’s goal is to remove 1 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2035 – a figure which represents 20% of today’s annual U.S. emissions and 10% of global carbon removal needed annually by 2050.

QUOTES FROM KEY COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS, SUPPORTERS & OTHERS:

CALIFORNIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ELENI KOULANAKIS SAID:

“California continues to lead the world toward a clean energy future. With the opening of Heirloom’s facility, California is the first state in the nation where CO2 will be permanently and durably removed from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture and the first among nations to store atmospheric CO2 in concrete, supporting construction projects across the state,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. “As a California-born company, Heirloom has helped us achieve an incredible milestone that further cements our state as a global climate leader and brings us closer to achieving our goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.”

MAYOR OF THE CITY OF TRACY, CA NANCY YOUNG SAID:

“Tracy is no stranger to the impacts of climate change, so we are excited to make history by welcoming Heirloom’s first commercial direct air capture facility to our community. Not only have they brought innovative technology to Tracy to scrub our air of pollution, but they have also sponsored the planting of additional trees to enhance our urban forest. We are proud to be part of the solution when it comes to the impacts of climate change, as advancing ‘green projects’ and supporting climate initiatives are consistent with the goals set by our City Council to improve our quality of life here in Tracy.”

CEO OF PG&E CORPORATION PATRICIA POPPE SAID:

“Here in California, our customers and hometowns are experiencing the impacts of climate change now. All of us need to be a part of the solution to not only help reach net zero emissions but to begin to heal the planet. That’s why we’re proud to enable innovative projects like Heirloom’s direct air capture facility in Tracy, supporting our shared, statewide goals for a decarbonized future.”

CALIFORNIA SENATOR ANNA CABALLERO SAID:

“Last year, I authored Senate Bill 905 to power the deployment of carbon removal projects, enable its infrastructure, and develop smart regulations. Today, we bear witness to how such projects are coming to life in California, removing greenhouse gas emissions from our atmosphere, while ensuring our state’s strict environmental standards,” said State Senator Anna Caballero. “What’s on display in Tracy, underscores that California’s climate policy is catalyzing private-sector-led and government-enabled solutions, which honor the scientific consensus that we must cut emissions and remove climate-harming carbon. We can achieve our goals, create environmental and economic benefit because of the partnership between our local communities, government, and industry.”

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR JOSH BECKER SAID:

“Carbon removal is necessary to get California and the world to net zero and start restoring a safe climate, and our state has a vital role to play when it comes to enabling the very carbon removal markets and clean-energy transformation that we need. Here at Heirloom, we see tremendous progress and they are doing it right: powered by clean energy and creating high-tech, good quality, green jobs in our state. We must continue to accelerate this progress by passing legislation to establish carbon removal markets that can drive demand for carbon removal and mobilize financing of many more projects like this.”

PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE BUILDING TRADES CHRIS HANNAN SAID:

“Building Trades’ craftspeople brought this groundbreaking facility to life and our skilled and trained members are leading the way in building and supporting carbon capture innovation across the state and country. We are meeting the climate crisis by supporting technology like Heirloom’s direct air capture as well as hydrogen, biofuels, offshore wind and battery storage. We are training the next generation of skilled construction worker in these exciting technologies. California is renowned worldwide for both our innovation and our hard working, highly trained construction workforce—both of which you see reflected in this important project.”

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231109906701/en/In-historic-moment-for-CO2-removal-Heirloom-unveils-America%E2%80%99s-first-commercial-Direct-Air-Capture-facility-advancing-national-net-zero-goals

By Jennifer New Developments • Workforce 0 Comments

Niagara Bottling’s Proposed New Manufacturing Project In Delano, California

Niagara Bottling would like to invest in Delano by building a manufacturing facility that will create local employment opportunities, drive direct capital investment in the area and reinforce the City’s position as a manufacturing leader in the bottled beverage market. Niagara’s future employment in Delano, when fully built out, will be approximately 120 full-time positions with average wages between $58,000 to $60,000, not including overtime, bonuses or benefits. The capital investment is estimated to be up to $160 million and is expected to generate approximately $343,000 in annual tax revenues for the City of Delano.

Who We Are

Niagara Bottling has been family owned and operated since 1963. Headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, Niagara operates bottling facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico. As a leading beverage manufacturer in the U.S., Niagara Bottling works closely with some of the largest beverage brands, retailers, grocers, club and convenience stores throughout the country. Niagara produces a variety of beverages including bottled water, sparkling, vitamin and flavored water, teas, sports drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, protein drinks and non-dairy milk products.

Our Commitment to Community

At Niagara, we are committed to making a positive impact on society and our communities. As part of this commitment, our local teams place an emphasis on supporting areas of education, emergency need, community beautification, environment, and health and wellness. We are proud to partner with community leaders and charitable organizations that are making a meaningful difference in the world and in the areas where our facilities are located.

Our Focus on Sustainability

Niagara is committed to responsible resource usage and integrating sustainability into every aspect of our business. Niagara has an obligation to not only support environmental initiatives, but to innovate and lead in their product, packaging, manufacturing, and promoting consumer awareness and action on sustainability issues. Here’s how Niagara is putting sustainability first:

  1. Water Stewardship: A Niagara facility uses less water to produce its products than it takes to keep a few golf courses green. Niagara pays volumetric fees for the water it uses and millions in taxes and fees to municipal systems that enable them to maintain and improve their infrastructure.
  2. Packaging Efficiency: Niagara uses the least amount of plastic for its bottles.
  3. Lowest Environmental Impact: Niagara PET bottles have a lower environmental impact across most impact categories when compared to other common beverage and water packaging types. Our half-liter bottles have an embodied carbon footprint that is 46% below the U.S. average.
  4. Recycling Infrastructure and Education: Niagara supports recycling education through International Bottled Water Association’s “Put it in the Bin” campaign and the “Keep the Cap On” campaign.

https://www.niagarawater.com/about-us/delano/

By Jennifer New Developments • Renewable Energy 0 Comments

$7.4M grant brings electric bikes to Stockton. Here’s how, where to rent one

If you’re out and about in Stockton, you may see one of the new 105 pedal-assisted electric bikes that are now available for public transportation. The city’s new electric bike-share program — made possible by a $7.4 million grant awarded to the San Joaquin Council of Governments from the state’s Sustainable Transportation Equity Project — launched last Saturday with a Rise ‘N’ Ride event at University of the Pacific. Olivia Mitchell, a sophomore at Pacific, smiled as she tested an e-bike near the university’s William Knox Memorial Library during the launch event.

“I don’t drive, so transportation can be a really big issue for me trying to get to campus,” Mitchell said. “This could help me get to campus and it could also help me get off campus to explore Stockton.”

The program is intended to help Stocktonians like Mitchell get around the city in a clean and cost-effective way.

“I think having more transportation options is really important, especially affordable transportation options,” said Tyler Madell, a program manager for Shared Mobility. Along with SJCOG, Madell has led the planning of Stockton’s electric bike-share program since 2020.

How to rent an e-bike in Stockton

It costs 15 cents per minute to ride an e-bike, according to Bike Stockton’s website. Residents also have the option to sign up for an annual membership priced at $40 per year. The membership includes up to 30 minutes of free ride time per day and a discounted rate of 5 cents per minute after the initial 30 minutes.

“A big thing for us is making these programs affordable across the board. You know, having really affordable rates to make sure people can use these services regularly in the community, whether it’s for running errands or going to work, or even riding recreationally,” Madell said. “Stockton is a very car-centric city as we know … this is an effort to kind of move away from that and create more options for residents.”

Matthew Amen, a Yosemite Street Village neighborhood resident, said he is an advocate for eco-friendly travel, and often uses alternatives to driving a car.

“I have a very urban mentality. Even though I’m from Stockton, I’ve lived in major cities and I love the fact that you can be in a space where you don’t need a car,” Amen said. “I’m looking forward to being able to utilize these bikes to get to where I need to go. From an economic standpoint, it’s a great way to experience the beauty of the city.”Those who are interested in renting an e-bike must download the Bike Stockton app, create an account, and scan a QR code for the e-bike to unlock.

Where to find the e-bikes in Stockton

The e-bikes can be found at five hubs located around the city:

  • DeCarli Plaza
  • Downtown Transit Center
  • Miracle Mile
  • University of the Pacific
  • Yosemite Street Village

The locations of the hubs were determined through community input and connectivity to transit, said Christine Corrales, senior regional planner for SJCOG.

“A key piece when it came to locating the hubs was thinking about how much access residents could have to the sites. For example, it’s ideal to place the bikes in locations that are not gated off to enable 24-hour access,” Corrales said. “We’re also trying to make sure that we can reach as many people as possible, so ideal places are places where there are lots of residents who live in the vicinity, and who can benefit from these services.”

While most of the hubs are located in central Stockton and the downtown area, Corrales said the goal is to expand to south Stockton in the next three to six months.

https://www.recordnet.com/story/business/transportation/2023/04/03/stockton-launches-new-bike-share-program/70073102007/

By Jennifer New Developments 0 Comments

Ground broken on $15M transit maintenance facility in Selma

After years of discussion, ground was broken Friday on a $15 million maintenance facility for the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency in Selma.

“This particular project was just on the map not too long ago,” said Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau. “In some ways, it takes time. In some ways, it comes quickly. I’m so glad that we’re standing here at the groundbreaking and can really get this project rolling.”

The groundbreaking ceremony featured talks from speakers and local officials including representatives from the offices of Congressman Jim Costa and Senator Anna Caballero.

“We know FCRTA is a vital lifeline for so many who need to get to their health appointments, senior centers, in to receive food,” Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula said at the event. “We also know FCRTA provides great services for the elderly and the disabled.”

The new facility, approved in 2018 for an acre of land at 1821 Pacific Ave., will be a center for maintenance and operations for the transit agency and includes a 10,000 square foot, four-bay maintenance facility. The facility is also planned to include a 5,000 square foot dispatching and administration office.

“It wasn’t inevitable that we were standing here today,” said Selma Mayor Scott Robertson. “First, there were three prospective cities that bid for the privilege of providing the site.”

Robertson joked that the city won the site for its “charming mayor” but added that the city was chosen because of its proximity to Highway 43 and the Golden State Corridor. The facility will be named in honor of former Fowler mayor David Cardenas, who died in March 2022. Brandau called Cardenas the best elected official of all time, himself included.

“David used to come to Selma all the time,” Robertson said. “He rose to the top of our local government, served on every board you can think of selflessly, but he always had good humor and he was always brilliant.”

The transit project is a partnership between Selma and the transit agency. According to the approved agreement in 2018 FCRTA purchased the acre of land from the city for $150,000, part of which will be leased back to the city. Selma will provide employees to work at the fleet maintenance facility and added several positions to that end including a transit manager, fleet maintenance manager, custodian, equipment mechanic, maintenance workers, transit mechanic and shuttle driver.

https://hanfordsentinel.com/community/ground-broken-on-15m-transit-maintenance-facility-in-selma/article_e5e78024-f5ae-5568-ac01-17f384ae52e0.html

By Jennifer Distribution • New Developments • Workforce 0 Comments

Amazon opens third fulfillment center in Tracy

Amazon officially opened their latest Tracy fulfillment center with a ribbon cutting on Friday at the 3.7 million-square-foot facility on East Grant Line Road. Director of operations Vincent Wong cut the ribbon for the facility, named SCK6, which had a soft opening in October. Assistant General Manager Mohammed Khan said the building will have approximately 1,500 employees and 3,000 robots in the building at 15000 East Grant Line Road.

At maximum capacity he said Amazon will be able to ship 1 million units a day from the facility, which is the online retailer’s second advanced robotics fulfillment center. Wong welcomed the crowd of employees, some dressed in San Jose Sharks attire, along with invited guests to the dedication.

“We are honored to serve the people of Tracy and especially honored to support our work force here in this place. At Amazon, people are our most valuable asset and resources,” Wong said. “Promotion actually plays an important part in their growth and (our employees are) promoted for recognizing our people and reaching their goals. At Amazon, we start with the community in which we work and live, including myself, we are committed to uniting Tracy and leveraging our resources for good. Since the beginning of 2022 we actually provided more than $4 million in donations for our community here and also in in-kind donations and volunteer hours.”

SCK6 is the fourth logistics center opened in Tracy by the online retailer. Mayor Nancy Young welcomed the new facility to the Tracy community noting that her youngest son had just started working at SCK6 the night before.

“When I got on council it was really hard, and even as my children were growing up, it was a challenge to get a job in the city of Tracy, especially for young people because they were really competing with a lot of adults trying to just hold on their homes and make their ends meet,” Young said. “But when Amazon came here it was the first really big opportunity for a lot of young adults and adults alike to be able to get a really good paying job to be able to take care of their finances. I’m just really excited that this is a great addition to continue to grow our community, to grow our economy and I just want to say thank you all for being a part of this and I encourage each and every one of the Sharkies, each and every one of the workers out there to keep moving forward knowing that you can continue to grow wherever you are, blossom wherever you are.”

San Joaquin County Fifth District Supervisor Robert Rickman joined in welcoming the new facility that had been in the planning stages since he was mayor of Tracy.

“When we approved this facility when I was mayor of Tracy one of the issues we ran into was this was going to be the biggest building in the city of Tracy. So, we had to work with Amazon, adjust our zoning in order to get this building built,” Rickman said. “So driving up and down Grant Line Road and seeing just a dirt field to what it is now is just absolutely amazing.”

New jobs generated by the facility will be a boon to the surrounding communities.

“One of our jobs as elected officials is to bring more jobs, bring awesome companies to our counties, to our cities, and Amazon you have fulfilled that role. The building behind me, what you see, you see local employment — people from Tracy, Stockton, Manteca, Ripon, Lodi, Livermore, the entire surrounding communities — coming to Tracy and making a living, not just for themselves but for their families their spouses and their children,” Rickman said.

He noted the health and education benefits their employees their employees and the company’s work with schools and education will make a difference in the community.

“Your footprint isn’t just here in this parking lot on Grant Line Road but encompasses the entire city of Tracy and San Joaquin County where our population is approximately 800,000 people that live here in the county,” Rickman said.

Amazon has three major centers in town include its OAK4 fulfillment center that opened in 2013, just south SCK6. Two more and two centers in the Prologis International Park of Commerce on the west side of town.

https://www.ttownmedia.com/tracy_press/amazon-opens-third-fulfillment-center-in-tracy/article_faf470c0-ce7b-11ed-a6f7-5f3f6ce4d7e1.html

By Jennifer New Developments • Renewable Energy 0 Comments

Standalone battery energy storage coming to eastern Kern

A battery project coming to eastern Kern will be just the third in the county’s large and diverse energy portfolio to provide lithium electricity storage on a standalone basis, apart from photovoltaic solar panels. Dallas-based Leeward Renewable Energy’s 126,000-megawatt Antelope Valley BESS, for battery energy storage system, will be sited between two PV solar projects it already owns and operates. It is expected to deliver more than 500 megawatt-hours of power during peak demand, enough for 100,000 homes for four hours after the sun goes down.

Leeward recently announced it has signed a 15-year agreement to provide power from the project to Southern California Edison. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2024. Leeward said it is the company’s first standalone battery energy storage project, designed to support resiliency and reliability of the state power grid while meeting the most stringent safety requirements.

“We are proud to partner with Southern California Edison to help meet California’s zero-carbon goals and facilitate the transition to a cleaner and more reliable power grid that will directly address the urgent need for energy capacity in the state,” Leeward’s chief commercial officer, Eran Mahrer, said in a news release last month. “LRE looks forward to our continued long-term partnership with SCE, the county and the community as we develop and operate Antelope Valley BESS.”

The project is to be built adjacent to Leeward’s 100-megawatt Rabbitbrush solar-plus-storage project, and next to its 174-megawatt Chapparal Springs project providing electrical generation and storage. Leeward said the projects demonstrate its commitment to be a long-term partner with the community on employment and other economic benefits, as well as protections and enhancements for the community and the environment. The county’s top energy permitting official, Director Lorelei Oviatt of the Planning and Natural Resources Department, said the project is part of “the new frontier, which is lithium batteries.”

She noted the state puts limitations on standalone battery energy storage projects, usually insisting they be paired with a solar generation facility. Oviatt noted the project will pay its full property taxes, unlike PV solar projects, which enjoy a large exemption from such taxes in California. It will pay almost as much in property taxes as an Amazon fulfillment center, she noted. The county Board of Supervisors encourages such investments, Oviatt added, saying, “We certainly would like to have more of them.”

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/standalone-battery-energy-storage-coming-to-eastern-kern/article_6dce956a-1ce4-11ee-a28c-e3b31a29faf8.html

By Jennifer New Developments 0 Comments

More than $260M in projects will improve Highway 58 over next five years

More than $260 million in improvements to Highway 58 between Tehachapi and Bakersfield are in the works over the next five years. Last week, the Kern Council of Governments announced that the California Transportation Commission awarded $9.3 million for the final ramp for the interchange at Highway 99 and Highway 58 as part of more than $2.2 billion to fund projects across the state. According to a news release issued by KernCOG, the Highway 58 mainline connection from Highway 99 to the 7-mile Westside Parkway freeway is scheduled to open to traffic with a ribbon-cutting this September, providing connectivity to Interstate 5 via Stockdale Highway west of Bakersfield.

“The new funding is critical to help keep heavy-duty vehicles off our neighborhood streets, providing smoother traffic flows and thereby reducing emissions, including in many of our historically disadvantaged communities,” said Ahron Hakimi, executive director of KernCOG. Once the connector is open, the agency said, two more Highway 99 and 58 interchange ramps will be completed over the next several years — the 58 westbound to northbound and the 99 southbound to westbound movements.

According to Caltrans, the estimated construction cost for the Centennial Corridor Southbound Highway 99 and westbound Highway 58 Connector project is more than $29 million. It is expected to be complete by summer 2028. The funding to complete the final ramp for the 99-to-58 freeway-to-freeway interchange comes from the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program. The program is funded by state and federal fuel taxes, including the Senate Bill 1 Transportation Improvement Fee.

Closer to Tehachapi, as reported by officials from the city of Tehachapi, Caltrans is moving forward with the $165 million Keene Pavement Project and a $65.9 million truck climbing lane project. The Keene Pavement Project will remove four curves, replace disintegrating pavement and make other improvements on a 10- to 12-mile stretch of Highway 58 just west of Tehachapi. That section of the highway has been the scene of numerous accidents in recent years, including big rig crashes that resulted in closures lasting many hours. According to the Caltrans District 9 quarterly report, the project will begin in March 2026 and is expected to be completed by November 2026. District 9 also oversees another long-awaited project — a truck climbing lane on eastbound 58 between Bakersfield and Tehachapi.

Although two or three segments of truck climbing lanes have been discussed through the years, the project expected to be underway first is what Caltrans calls the most critical section of Highway 58 through the Tehachapi Mountains  —  from approximately 0.8 miles east of the junction with State Route 223 to 0.4 miles west of Hart Flat Road.   This project was originally proposed to begin in 2027. However, city officials have reported ongoing efforts to work with Caltrans, state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and KernCOG to consolidate the truck climbing lane project with the Keene Pavement Project, with both to begin in 2026 or as early as 2025.

At a Tehachapi City Council meeting in May, Councilman Phil Smith said Grove set up a meeting between local officials and the new Caltrans Director Tony Tavares, who was appointed to lead the state’s transportation agency in June 2022. Smith has served on the Tehachapi City Council since 1986 and as a member of the Kern COG Board of Directors since 1995. He has advocated for improvements to Highway 58 — and specifically the truck climbing lanes.

He said city officials were encouraged in an initial meeting when Tavares said that Highway 58 is “an extremely significant route.” And Caltrans District 9 Director Ryan Dermody said it is “the most important route in District 9.”  Hakimi, of KernCOG — which is the county’s transportation planning agency — and Tehachapi City Manager Greg Garrett have also been involved in the meetings, Smith said, along with city Development Services Director Jay Schlosser. Garrett and Smith have since reported that Caltrans has committed to funding and moving forward with the truck climbing lane project.

The segment of the project expected to be completed first is the most easterly of planned truck passing lanes on the eastbound side of Highway 58 between Bakersfield and Tehachapi, Smith said. The lower elevation section of the highway is part of Caltrans District 6, headquartered in Fresno, and details of when that part of the project might move forward are not currently available. District 9 is headquartered in Bishop.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/more-than-260m-in-projects-will-improve-highway-58-over-next-five-years/article_e89aade2-1e9c-11ee-adfc-eb811a9dd2a5.html