6 • CONNECTING COMMUNITY PATHWAYS 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 participatory budgeting steering committee in each city identified projects to be voted upon and recommended to be fast-tracked for implementation, with up to $250,000 in each city from the Safe Routes to School Program. Since 2016, TAMC’s Safe Route to School program has resulted in over 10 pedestrian, bicycle & safety projects in 6 cities and brought in over $55 million of grant funds to our communities. Safe Routes to Schools $55 M of Grant Funds The Scenic State Route 68 Corridor Improvement Project aims to enhance safety and traffic flow along the nine-mile stretch of State Route 68 between Salinas and the Monterey Peninsula by improving nine signalized intersections. The preferred alternative is converting intersections to roundabouts, expected to reduce vehicle delays, collision rates, and improve wildlife connectivity. Phase I will prioritize upgrades at San Benancio Road, Corral de Tierra, and Laureles Grade intersections. Additionally, an interim solution involving adaptive signal operations is being implemented using Measure X funds to improve traffic flow and reduce delays while long-term improvements are developed. TAMC also initiated the Toro Park Cut-Through Traffic Pilot Project, which successfully reduced cut-through traffic using local roads to avoid congestion on SR 68.
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