Hageman Road Work Disrupts Businesses and School Traffic; Closures Continue Through September 30

Update: Customers and school traffic feel the disruption

BAKERSFIELD — The Hageman Road pavement project is creating more than a routine commute delay. Employees at nearby restaurants told 23ABC that customers had trouble reaching their businesses after work began, while residents described congestion affecting school drop-off and neighborhood travel.

A Slice of Italy employee said customers struggled to navigate the construction on the first day. Other restaurant employees told the station they wanted clearer advance notice from the city so they could prepare customers for changing access. Those accounts show a real early impact, but they do not quantify corridor-wide sales losses or establish that every nearby business is affected.

Residents also described backups around school travel, although one resident said the road improvements are necessary and the disruption is inevitable. The competing views matter: the project may deliver a public benefit while still imposing short-term costs that deserve clear communication and workable access.

The city thanked residents for their patience and warned that weather could create delays not announced in advance. Drivers should expect conditions to change during the project rather than relying on a single route plan for the rest of September.

Weekday work begins between Calloway and Old Farm

BAKERSFIELD — Drivers in northwest Bakersfield should expect closures, lane reductions and additional travel time as pavement work begins Monday on Hageman Road between Calloway Road and Old Farm Road.

The City of Bakersfield says work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The project begins August 31 and is targeted for completion September 30, creating a month of possible daytime disruption along the busy corridor.

The notice does not mean every lane will necessarily remain closed for every scheduled hour. Restrictions can shift as crews move through different phases, so drivers should follow posted traffic controls and allow extra time even if a lane was open during an earlier trip.

Crews will grind, repave and replace markings

The project includes grinding and repaving the roadway, installing thermoplastic and green methyl methacrylate striping and lane markings, and adjusting monument encasements. Those tasks require different equipment and work areas across the project period.

Traffic controls will be used when necessary to move vehicles safely through or around the work zone. Drivers should reduce speed, avoid abrupt lane changes and give road workers and neighboring motorists additional space.

City officials warn that inclement weather or unforeseen conditions can postpone work and alter the published schedule without advance notice. The September 30 date is therefore a target, not a guarantee that every restriction will end at the same time.

What drivers can do before leaving

Motorists who can avoid the Calloway-to-Old Farm segment during active work hours should consider an alternate route. Those traveling to a home, school or business inside the construction area should leave early and expect changing access patterns.

Before a longer trip, check the City of Bakersfield's traffic-advisory page and current navigation conditions. A map application can help identify congestion, but official signs and instructions from workers control inside the construction zone.

People should also avoid treating an old social-media screenshot as a live closure notice. The project lasts a month, and a restriction accurately described one morning may be different by the afternoon or the following week.

Why precise traffic alerts matter

Hageman Road connects growing northwest neighborhoods with schools, shopping areas and major north-south routes. Even a partial lane reduction can create backups when commuters converge during school drop-off, pickup and evening travel periods.

A useful traffic report should distinguish a full closure from a lane reduction and give residents the source, hours and project limits. This article will be updated if the city changes the construction window or announces a revised completion date.

Limits and what to watch

The firsthand accounts document disruption but do not quantify corridor-wide sales losses or establish that every nearby business is affected. The exact traffic restriction may vary by day and work phase.

The next development to watch is daily traffic-control changes, any access assistance for affected businesses and school families, completion of paving and striping, and the city's targeted September 30 end date.