By Chris Lopez

In 2024, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County made significant strides in building pathways to help communities thrive, despite facing various challenges. As the outgoing Chair, I would like to highlight the accomplishments and ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life in the County.

US 101

The increased number of injury and fatality collisions has led Caltrans to initiate closing the at-grade left-hand turns along Highway 101 between Salinas and Chualar. The project team is working on identifying feasible long-term options that will reduce travel circulation impacts these closures will have on the Chualar community and the residents and businesses along this critical highway corridor. The environmental evaluation for the long-term options is scheduled to start early next year and be completed in 2026, with final design by 2027.

Safe routes to schools

TAMC, Monterey County Health Department, Ecology Action, and the cities of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, and King City partnered to develop the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan. The plan identified barriers to safe access to 22 public schools and recommended improvements. A community steering committee in each city identified projects for implementation, with up to $250,000 for each city fast-tracked for the highest-voted projects. Since 2016, TAMC’s Safe Route to School program has resulted in over 10 pedestrian, bicycle and safety projects in six cities and brought in over $55 million of grant funds to our communities.

Measure X

Annual revenues from Measure X, the countywide local transportation sales tax adopted in 2016. This year, Measure X generated over $38 million, with 60% distributed to cities and the County for local street and road projects and 40% for regional safety and mobility projects. The Measure X Citizens Oversight Committee continues to provide oversight and conducts an independent audit.

Measure X is the countywide local transportation sales tax adopted in 2016.

Imjin Road widening

Currently in construction, significant progress has been made with new lane configurations, a truck detour, and the reopening of Preston Drive and Marina Heights Drive. Current information can be found at www.imjinparkway.com.

FORTAG

The vision for the Fort Ord Regional Trail & Greenway project is to create a safe pedestrian and bicycle corridor designated to accommodate people of all ages and abilities. There are three segments of the trail currently progressing. Construction of the Canyon Del Rey Segment in Del Rey Oaks began in August and is expected to last through August 2026. The California Avenue segment in Marina is at 60% design, with construction expected to start in November 2025. In alignment with all of this, we continue to work with the Federal Highway Administration and their design team to finalize the segment that runs from the California Avenue segment to the Jerry Smith Trailhead and the Fort Ord National Monument.

County rail projects

The California State Transportation Agency awarded $63 million for rail improvements between Monterey and Santa Barbara counties, including a new King City train station. The final design for track improvements needed to extend Caltrain service to Salinas is almost complete. TAMC is also conducting the environmental review for the Pajaro-Watsonville Multimodal Station Project, which would serve as a major transit hub in an underserved area providing access to multiple transportation options including bus connections and new passenger rail service between the Monterey Bay and the San Francisco Bay Areas.

Monterey-Salinas Highway

TAMC approved a cooperative agreement with Caltrans to fund adaptive signal controls at nine intersections along State Route 68. This project aims to improve traffic flow by using real-time data to adjust signal timing as an interim step before roundabouts along the corridor can be constructed. The Toro Park Cut-Through Traffic Pilot Project was also initiated to test ways to reduce aggressive drivers using residential streets to bypass congestion on State Route 68.

SURF! Busway

The project faced challenges, including the need to move the alignment onto existing rail tracks to minimize environmental impacts. Nonetheless, the project is expected to start construction in 2025.

As I step down as Chair in January, the Transportation Agency will continue its commitment to creating pathways that improve the quality of life for families and communities.

Chris Lopez is a County Supervisor who also serves as Chair for the Transportation Agency for Monterey County Board of Directors.