Politics

Kern County Infrastructure Bond Measure: Funding for Road Repairs and Construction Employment in Bakersfield

The proposed bond would direct $350 million toward transportation and facility upgrades, with project lists tied to hiring in local construction trades.

By Bakersfield Policy Desk · Published July 8, 2026

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Kern County Infrastructure Bond Measure: Funding for Road Repairs and Construction Employment in Bakersfield — Photo by USDAgov / flickr (by)

The Kern County Infrastructure Bond Measure on the November 2026 ballot would authorize $350 million in general obligation bonds for road resurfacing, bridge work and public building upgrades across Bakersfield and surrounding unincorporated areas.

City documents list the measure as a response to a documented maintenance backlog that reached $212 million in the 2025 capital improvement plan adopted by the Kern County Board of Supervisors in June 2025.

Jobs and Services for Bakersfield Residents

Construction contracts under the measure would require bidders to meet local hiring targets set in the county procurement code, directing work toward firms based in ZIP codes 93301 through 93309. Bakersfield residents employed on these projects would receive wages scaled to prevailing rates published by the California Department of Industrial Relations for heavy and highway construction.

Separate allocations in the bond language earmark $48 million for upgrades at the Bakersfield Amtrak station and the Golden State Highway corridor, projects the county public works department estimates will employ crews for 18 to 24 months once design is complete.

Policy analysts note that the measure also contains language allowing 10 percent of proceeds to support maintenance of county libraries and parks, services that recorded 1.2 million visits in the most recent annual report from the Kern County Library system.

Next Steps for Voters

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters in early October, with the measure requiring a two-thirds majority under state rules for local bond proposals. County election officials have scheduled two public workshops in August at the Kern County Administrative Center to review project lists and contractor requirements.

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