Case Study

Bakersfield School Corridor Safety and Mobility Project

Client

City of Bakersfield

Consultant

Kimley-Horn

Location

Bakersfield, California

The Challenge

Bakersfield needed an accessible, scalable way to gather and organize feedback from diverse stakeholders along a complex, school-heavy corridor.

The City of Bakersfield endeavored to transform a three-mile corridor in the southeast part of the city—featuring nine schools and several residential areas—into a multimodal route. Traditionally, the City relied on in-person workshops and pop-up events to gather public input, which limited accessibility and inclusivity. Bakersfield officials also didn’t have a comprehensive method to collect and organize feedback from a broad range of stakeholders, such as school districts, parents, and local organizations.

Our Solution

PublicCoordinate provided an interactive, map-based platform that streamlined community input and enabled real-time feedback from residents and stakeholders.

PublicCoordinate streamlined and enhanced public engagement through its platform, which allowed residents and stakeholders to leave comments directly on an interactive map. Layers were created for each school that reflected specific concerns, such as poor street lighting, traffic congestion and speeding, and inadequate parking. The tool was accessible online for five months, allowing input from those unable to attend in-person events. PublicCoordinate also facilitated real-time feedback during stakeholder meetings as school districts and community groups gathered and shared insights.

The Impact

PublicCoordinate empowered Bakersfield to ground its design process and funding efforts in clear, community-driven priorities.

With PublicCoordinate, the City of Bakersfield was able to access a centralized database of community feedback, which helped the City understand and prioritize traffic safety, bike lanes, and pedestrian infrastructure concerns. This data not only informed the design process but also strengthened the City’s grant applications by demonstrating community-driven planning. Although the project is still in the design phase, its early, community-led engagement has laid a strong foundation for responsive and inclusive urban development.