South Kern Sol, Staff

Lamont residents on the east side of Hwy. 184 will now have safe pathways, thanks to Building Healthy Communities South Kern (BHC-SK) partners who collaborated with Kern County Roads Department to compete for $1.43 million to improve walkability in Lamont.

“These dollars will improve health outcomes by promoting safe walking opportunities throughout the community and easier access to services,” said Veronica Garibay, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability’s co-director in a press release.

The construction, which includes sidewalks, crosswalks, curbs and gutters is expected to begin later this year and should be finished by the end of 2017.

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, California Walks, Center on Race Poverty and the Environment, and Lamont Parent Partners are all part of the coalition that secured the funding.

After learning about Lamont’s new win, one Facebook user commented on BHC-SK’s Facebook account, “Thank you! Lamont needs all the help. Many, many people have to walk to and from places including ride bikes, push strollers, and wheelchairs thank you for making our streets safer.”

The money comes from the state’s 2015 Active Transportation Program, a program that funds projects that encourage and promote walking and biking to enhance public health and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Building Healthy Communities-South Kern is a community initiative comprised of more than 2,500 residents, youth, business and organizations who are working to achieve health equity in the areas of education, environment, recreation and health access in the communities of Arvin, Lamont, Weedpatch, and the unincorporated areas of Greenfield.