Freeway not expected to impact Big West
| Tuesday, Jun 02 2009 04:49 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jun 02 2009 05:29 PM
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Big West of California refinery.
Plans to run a freeway through land owned by Big West refinery would not weaken the plant's ability to refine oil, company and city officials said Tuesday.
Westside Parkway, Bakersfield's first freeway construction project in more than 30 years, is expected to cut through the vacant, southern portion of the Rosedale Highway refinery.
Big West has been idle since January and is for sale. Its owners have agreed to sell portions of the property to the city for $2.75 million.
A city staff report from last month stated that, as part of that deal, the refinery's owner and the city had agreed to measures that would "reduce the impact" on Big West's future operations.
Peter Hill, a spokesman for the refinery's Utah owner, Flying J Inc., said in an e-mail Tuesday: "The deal only takes peripheral, fenceline type pieces of property at the refinery. Both parties have reached an agreement that maintains historical refinery access and operational ability."
Bakersfield's public works director, Raul Rojas, said the purchase would not affect the refinery, and that "if the refinery wants to start back up or someone wants to buy it, it could."
"You won't be driving through the refinery," he said. "You'll be driving on the (80-acre property's) south edge."
Bakersfield's City Council approved the purchase agreement May 20. But because Flying J is going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the land purchase agreement still must be approved in Delaware bankruptcy court.
Westside Parkway is to be built in stages, and eventually would proceed west from Mohawk Street to Interstate 5.
Rojas said the freeway project is out to bid, and that cars wouldn't travel on the refinery portion of the freeway for at least two years.
