Thursday, September 7, 2023

MONTEREY COUNTY – The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) announced that a temporary redesign along Front Street in Soledad for a Safe Routes to School project demonstration is open for community members to test out beginning tomorrow, September 8, 2023, through October 6, 2023.

The demonstration is a temporary reconfiguration along Front Street that includes separated bikeway between Oak Street and Nestles Road, and upgrades on the crosswalks to make them more visible. The goal of these changes is to improve safety for people walking and biking and to get feedback from the community.

When discussing the temporary street design, Todd Muck, TAMC’s Executive Director, said that it was an opportunity for parents, children, and other community members to “get a sense of what safer and more visible bikeways and crosswalks would feel like.”

Anyone who tries out the temporary design will have the opportunity to provide feedback to the Transportation Agency by sharing what the experience was like for them by taking a survey in English at:  https://saferoutesmonterey.org/evaluation-salinasvalley/  or Spanish at https://saferoutesmonterey.org/evaluation-salinas-valley-spanish/.  Participants can also call (831) 515-1364.

The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan & Participatory Budgeting

The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan, developed by the Transportation Agency, Monterey County Health Department, Ecology Action, and the cities in South County, will identify barriers to safe access to all K-12 public schools in South County cities and recommend infrastructure and non-infrastructure improvements.

An important component of the Plan is the participatory budgeting process that is designed to fast-track funding and implementation of safe routes to school projects that are meaningful to community members. Through this participatory budgeting process, the community helped determine how to spend $250,000 allocated for program safety improvements through the Transportation Agency’s Safe Routes to School Program.

The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan was funded through a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant ($64,127) and Measure X Safe Routes to School fund ($126,501). For more information:  click  the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan;  or contact Ariana Green, Principal Transportation Planner, TAMC at 831 775-4403, ariana@tamcmonterey.org or Aaron Hernandez, Transportation Planner, TAMC  at 831 775-4412 (Hablo español), aaron@tamcmonterey.org.

                                                                                                       ###

 The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) is responsible for investing in regional transportation projects for Monterey County residents, businesses and visitors.  The mission of TAMC is to develop and maintain a multimodal transportation system that enhances mobility, safety, access, environment quality and economic activities in Monterey County. For more information visit www.tamcmonterey.org or call 831.775.0903.

“The” Safe Route to School” is a TAMC program which offers tools, programming, and resources to schools, guardians, and communities aimed at improving safety and traffic around schools. The program’s goal is to keep every child safe and healthy by reducing the number of students involved in collisions to zero. For more information visit https://saferoutesmonterey.org”