Old Town Clovis to get retractable steel barriers to keep pedestrians safe

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Farmers Market is just about to begin in Old Town Clovis on Friday night.

City leaders have plans to increase public safety by installing retractable barriers along Old Town.

The City of Clovis is spending $250,000 to keep pedestrians safe during events like this.

Up until now, they were just using temporary cones and signs to close down streets, but that will soon change.

From farmers markets to Big Hat Days and the Rodeo, Old Town is known for hosting several family-friendly events.

And now city leaders want to ensure the public's safety during these types of gatherings by adding one more layer of protection for visitors.

"We're installing some retractable bollards here in Old Town Clovis," says Nick Torstensen, Supervising Civil Engineer for the City of Clovis.

They're basically steel barriers that will slide out of the ground and lock into place during special events.

Torstensen says these bollards are made to stop a vehicle the size of a pickup or SUV going 30 miles per hour.

"Even if it's someone who's just accidentally driving through and they don't really know what's happening it wouldn't allow them to get through to hurt people."

City events are typically held on well-traveled Old Town streets.

These bollards would basically replace traffic cones and "A Frames" and serve as a more durable line of defense for pedestrians and vendors

"I don't know how much of a need as it was a peace of mind. We do have a lot of vehicle traffic in downtown along with pedestrian traffic. If there was an accident it's there as a preventative measure," says Jim Ellenberger of the Clovis Police Department.

Construction on the new barriers will begin Monday and is expected to last about three weeks.