10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 14-20, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com After the Transportation Agency for Monterey County started construction on a project to widen Imjin Parkway in February, Doug Bilse, a traffic engineer at TAMC, noticed a marked change: More drivers were changing their westbound commutes to Highway 68. As a result—perhaps due to smartphone apps—commuters started getting off the highway in the Toro Park area and cutting through the neighborhood in order to shave off a few minutes, creating hellish conditions for the residents who live there. Suddenly, a quiet residential area had a line of cars, stop-and-go, blocking driveways every morning. In July, TAMC launched a pilot project to close off Torero Drive, where there’s an unsignaled southbound intersection onto Highway 68. It has improved the situation to a degree, but Bilse said on Oct. 23 at a TAMC board meeting the project is still being tweaked as data comes in. Potentially, Bilse says, the merge from two lanes to one—which is causing drivers to get off the highway and drive through neighborhoods—could be moved further east, toward Salinas, so that the slowdown happens before drivers have a chance to exit. Also on Oct. 23, the TAMC board approved spending up to $500,000 generated by Measure X—a countywide ballot measure approved in 2016—to install adaptive AI signals at nine intersections along Highway 68 to see how that can improve traffic flow. That will come in advance of potentially spending over $200 million to add roundabouts at those intersections. The installation is estimated to take up to a year. Bilse, a former aerospace engineer, says that in transportation, it’s unfortunately not about solving problems— they can only be mitigated. It’s ultimately about managing traffic: People are always going to go the way they think is fastest, and traffic flows follow accordingly. The job of traffic engineers is to figure out how to move cars as efficiently and safely as possible. Thousands of people commute to the Monterey Peninsula from the Salinas Valley and elsewhere for work, but the transportation system isn’t designed to manage the numbers of cars people are using to get there. While Bilse hopes more people will take the leap to do things like taking a vanpool to work, and for employers to allow a more flexible start time to take pressure off rush hour, he says TAMC is not trying disincentive driving, it’s about finding a balance. Concerned that cuts to prenatal care, among other changes at Alisal Health Center, for the Monterey County Health Clinic at Natividad, would negatively impact patient care, Dr. Cris Carillo and his colleagues began meeting with management. Finally, they met on Oct. 10 with a member of the Natividad Board of Trustees to plead their case, and thought they’d made progress. On Oct. 11, Carillo arrived at work, only to be met with a letter of termination. He was escorted out of the building. Carillo and his fellow physicians employed by the County are at-will employees, which means they can be terminated at any time. In February the physicians voted to unionize with the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. Negotiations for a contract that includes employment protections are ongoing. Carillo’s firing proved to be a tipping point. The UAPD filed a complaint with the California Public Employment Relations Board contending the termination was illegal, and asking the board for injunctive relief for a speedier decision. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the union went a step further by staging a halfday strike outside of the Monterey County Health Department offices in Salinas. About 50 employees and their supporters lined Natividad Road holding signs and chanting. “We believe the county’s intent in silencing [Carillo] was to silence everybody else, to send a message,” says Tim Jenkins, a UAPD senior representative. “Yes, we want him to go back to work, we want his 700 patients to have a doctor again, but more importantly, big picture, we want doctors to be able to speak up if things are not right.” The county issued statements that clinics were open during the strike and that there were no interruptions at Natividad hospital. “The County remains committed to negotiating in good faith and reaching an agreement on a foundational contract that addresses both the Union’s concerns while balancing the fiscal constraints and operational needs of the County,” one statement said. Drive Way TAMC is adapting to expedite the commute to the Monterey Peninsula. By David Schmalz news Following Up The Monterey County Health, Housing and Human Services Committee meets to hear a report on the county’s Covid-19 response. 10:30am Friday, Nov. 15. County Government Center, Monterey Room, 168 W. Alisal St., second floor, Salinas. Also via Zoom. Free. countyofmonterey. gov. Carmel Prepares Carmel Community Emergency Response Team with Carmel Police Department host an event on winter storm and earthquake preparedness. Attendees will receive guidance from Carmel Police, County Department of Emergency Management, National Weather Service, Monterey Fire, Cal Fire, CERT and more. 10-11am Saturday, Nov. 16. Sunset Center, Carpenter Hall, San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue, Carmel. Free. 624-6403, ci.carmel.ca.us/carmel-prepares. Hands-On Learning Monterey Peninsula College’s Family STEM Day features science, technology, engineering and math activities for all ages. 10am-3pm Saturday, Nov. 16. Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. Free. mpc.edu. On the Dais Monterey City Council meets and accepts public comment. Tell your elected officials what they are doing well and what you think they can do better. 4pm Tuesday, Nov. 19. Colton Hall, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3799, monterey.gov. Public Service Salinas City Council meets and, as always, accepts public comment. 4pm Tuesday, Nov. 19. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. Holiday Healing Hospice Giving Foundation hosts a presentation about how to manage feelings of grief and loss during the holiday season. 5-6:30pm Tuesday, Nov. 19. El Gabilan Library community room, 1400 North Main St., Salinas. Free. hospicegiving. org/workshops. On Track Transportation Agency for Monterey County hosts an open house for people to learn more and comment on the proposed Pajaro-Watsonville train station. The agency is collecting public comments as part of the environmental review process. 6-8pm Wednesday, Nov. 20. Pajaro Middle School, 250 Salinas Road, Pajaro. Free. Comments accepted until 5pm Friday, Dec. 6. 855-9252801 (project code: 7342), bit.ly/ PajaroStation. Strike RX Natividad clinic doctors stage a half-day strike in the wake of the firing of one of their own. By Pam Marino Bumper-to-bumper traffic in the Toro Park neighborhood, as Highway 68 drivers look for time-savers. Residents report a pilot project closing off Torero Drive is helping. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX Commuters started creating hellish conditions for residents. courtesy of TAMC
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