After a recent fatal accident, drivers who take Highway 178 have more questions about guard-rails on that roadway. Some drivers wonder why the safety barriers are being installed on the four-lane stretch of the highway, and not in the twisting two-lane area.

Residents from Lake Isabella contacted the Eyewitness News Tipline with their concerns. CalTrans has some answers, and Eyewitness News discovered a project in the canyon is being designed -- but it's probably years off.

On November 30th, Mary Kate Nelson's car clipped a guard-rail just west of the mouth of the canyon. The car went over the steep bank to the side of the guard-rail where there is no barrier.

That got Pamela and Brittany Stine wondering about guard-rails in the canyon areas. They live in the Lake Isabella area, and see the current project installing metal guard-rails near Borel where the highway is four lanes wide.

"You'd think, start where it makes the most sense. Start where you need them the most," Brittany Stine told Eyewitness News.

CalTrans spokeswoman Gloria Samaniego says guard-rails go in where they're most needed. "It will be installed in the area where there have been previous accidents, or in the area where a run off the road is more likely to occur."

But, in the canyon area of 178 where the road is just two lanes, flowers mark the spot where Kern County Deputy Joe Hudnall's patrol car plunged over the bank last year. There is no guard rail at that spot.

Samaniego says the steep canyon areas will be tougher for guard-rail installation. "In certain areas there's just no room there -- and so they have to somehow widen that area to install the guard-rail, and that can be very costly."

Samaniego says in some areas of the canyon, it could cost up to $4,000 per foot for guard-rail. You can build 100-feet of guard-rail for about $16,000 in areas where no additional work is required.

But Eyewitness News asked -- why not spend money first in the seemingly more dangerous two-lane areas? "We're actually looking at that," said Samiengo.

"We're working with local transportation agencies and elected officials to assess where it's most needed, secure funding, and that type of thing. But it does take a while for transportation projects to materialize."

Samaneigo says the guard-rail project under construction now near Borel costs $1.2 million. Guard-rails are going in from what's called "post mile" 27 to post mile 45. It's not continuous barrier, the guard-rails are being put in where they're needed for safety.

Samaniego says guard-rails in the canyon are being called the "Rio Bravo Project." That has a possible price-tag of $1.8 million. This project would run from "post mile" 14 to post mile 26. The project is now in the design phase.

This project would start just a bit inside the mouth of the canyon. So, it would include the area where Deputy Hudnall's accident happened. But, the scene of the recent fatal crash is west of post mile 14 -- it would not be included.

Samaniego says every project in the state has to compete for funding, but it's hoped construction could start on the Rio Bravo guard-rail work project by the winter of 2009 or spring 2010.

CalTrans adds, guard-rails do not guarantee that a car will not go over the side. But Samaniego says safety is their highest priority.

"Sometimes transportation projects do take a bit longer, but just rest assured that we're looking into it -- to add additional guard-rail in the mouth of the canyon in the future."