The Transportation Agency presented its "24th Annual Transportation Awards" to show its appreciation to the local community for its outstanding efforts to improve the transportation network in Monterey County. The recipients of the 2025 Transportation Excellence Awards are:

Individual Award:
James Herrera, Reporter, The Monterey Herald

James Herrera, is recognized for his coverage of transportation related projects and programs for the daily newspaper. Most notable for this award is his continuous coverage of two regional Measure X funded projects, the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway (FORTAG) Canyon Del Rey segment in the cities of Del Rey Oaks and Seaside and the Imjin Parkway Widening and Roundabout Project in the City of Marina.

Mr. Herrera has steadfastly reported on both projects, providing the public with information about every development or milestone during the conception and construction process of each project. He has also reported on other transportation projects, including the SURF! Busway & Bus Rapid Transit project, as well as projects on SR 183, SR 68, US 101, the extension of rail service to Monterey County, transportation and regional trail elated projects in local cities, and the innovative technological advancements in air mobility infrastructure.

Examples of the depth of Mr. Herrera’s news reporting of transportation related projects can
be found on the newspapers website: https://www.montereyherald.com

Program Award:
Safe Routes to School North County Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee
Program Partners: Center for Community Advocacy, Ecology Action, Monterey County
Health Department, Monterey County Public Works, Facilities and Parks Department

The  North Monterey County Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee, made up of residents and community advocates, in the communities of Aromas, Castroville, Las Lomas and Prunedale worked with the Safe Routes to School program partners: Center for Community Advocacy, Ecology Action, Monterey County Health Department, Monterey County Public Works Facilities & Parks Department, and the Transportation Agency, to identify barriers to safe access for ten public schools across North Monterey County. The Committee developed recommendations for infrastructure and non-infrastructure improvements aimed to reduce traffic congestion and promote healthier transportation options like walking, biking, carpooling, and bus use.

Steering Committee members presented their recommendation for projects on North Monterey County Unified School District property to the district’s Board of Directors and  the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors and successfully got both Boards to approve their recommendations in October 2025. The Transportation Agency Board of Directors subsequently approved Measure X and Regional Surface Transportation Program funds to implement the Safe Routes to school projects in North Monterey County.

While we celebrate the success of the participatory budgeting process which was designed to be equitable and to engage transportation disadvantaged community members, we also want to recognize the extraordinary participants, who led the public engagement for safety improvements and safe routes to school projects and programs.

Project Award:
City of Salinas: Bardin Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project
Project Partners: City of Salinas, Kimley-Horn & Associates, MNS Engineers, The Don Chapin
Company

 The City of Salinas, Kimley-Horn & Associates, MNS Engineers and the Don Chapin Company are  recognized for the Bardin Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project, designed to improve vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle access to Bardin Elementary School. Funded through the Active Transportation Program and Measure X, the project addressed safety concerns abutting Bardin Elementary School, where limited crosswalks and the absence of bicycle facilities previously forced families to share space with fast-moving vehicles.

The project addressed critical safety concerns while enhancing the broader transportation network by better integrating the corridor with surrounding neighborhoods, schools, and community destinations. Collectively, the safety improvements and enhancements transformed Bardin Road from a barrier into a connected multimodal corridor that supports neighborhood-to-neighborhood and school-to-community connectivity.