12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 5-11, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Although it is currently just planes of leveled dirt—marked off by concrete retaining walls and divided by shallow channels and square depressions with jutting rebar—the future site of Monterey Regional Airport’s new terminal is beginning to take shape. The replacement terminal, which broke ground in June 2025, is part of the phased project known as the Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) Metamorphosis, or Safety Enhancement Program. The $200 million project includes numerous upgrades, such as a new fire station (already completed) and a relocated taxiway (the final phase), with the new terminal expected to emerge from its chrysalis in the summer of 2027. “I’m excited for the community because I think all of this will make for a better travel experience,” MRY Executive Director Chris Morello says. MRY Project Manager Dan Johanson explains that the new terminal will have five gates and be roughly the same size as the current terminal, which will remain open (including administrative offices and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar) after its successor is complete. “From Gate 1 to Gate 5 is approximately 330 feet,” Johanson says on a site tour. “It’s the same scale as the existing building. It seems big, but it is still very compact.” Morello adds that although the amount of square footage is similar, the use of space in the terminal has been completely reimagined to maximize efficiency and benefit passengers: “[In the replacement terminal], the bulk of the square footage is on the secure side, where in the current terminal, the bulk of the square footage is on the non-secure side.” Two contractor teams are working on the site: Hensel Phelps, with about 75 workers constructing the terminal, and approximately 25 from Otto Construction, working on parking lots and circulation. The latter includes transforming the intersection of Garden and Olmsted roads into a roundabout. That project started on Monday, March 2. Construction is slated to take 18 weeks and end before Car Week in August. For the replacement terminal, the next big step is steel. Johanson says the construction team will start “going vertical” with steel structural supports at the end of April, and if everything goes according to plan, passersby and passengers will begin to see “the skeleton of the building” by Memorial Day. Eight years ago, a milestone law for climate adaptation took effect to ensure California could maintain adequate water supplies for generations to come. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, created a 25-year roadmap by which local agencies would begin modeling, implement sustainability plans and enforce compliance. While still early in the overall timeline, 2026 marks a significant decision year as the Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency brings together feasibility studies, modeling and economic analysis to formulate a set of projects and management actions to carry forward. “It’s a big year of decision-making and getting the whole community behind it,” says Piret Harmon, general manager of SVBGSA. “We need to choose a suite of projects to move forward, and that’s going to happen this summer.” For agriculture, the largest groundwater user in most basins, the impacts of SGMA are predicted to look different than for residential users. About 95 percent of water used in Monterey County is extracted from groundwater aquifers, with nearly 200,000 acres of land under cultivation in the Salinas Valley. Approximately 500,000 acre-feet of water per year are pumped in the valley, of which about 450,000 acrefeet are used for agriculture. Future possibilities include shifting to crops that use less water or keeping some land unirrigated, although it is likely too early in the process to tell. Robbie Long is general manager for Braga Ranch, and also sits on the advisory committee for his subbasin. He says the company does not anticipate increased operational expenses outside of collected fees and is not anticipating the need for new infrastructure to comply with SGMA. “It’s too soon to tell how, and in what areas, farms may be impacted,” Long says. “But certainly, there are discussions regarding reduced pumping and fallowing farmland. These could lead to decreased agricultural production in the Salinas Valley.” Taking Off Monterey Regional Airport’s ‘metamorphosis’ project is underway. By Aric Sleeper NEWS FULL STOP The City of Monterey is considering changing the traffic signal at the intersection of Prescott Avenue and Taylor Street. Learn about possible alternatives. 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, March 5. Hilltop Park Center, 871 Jessie St., Monterey. Free. (831) 646-3921, monterey.gov. FUTURE VISION Share your ideas about the future of Salinas. City officials share the Visión Salinas 2040 General Plan and accept feedback. 9am-noon Saturday, March 7. One Main Street, 1 Main St., Salinas. Free. Register at tinyurl.com/GPREG26. EQUIPPED FORCE Monterey Police Department hosts a meeting to discuss its use of military equipment. The meeting and report is required annually by the state. 6pm Monday, March 9. Monterey City Council Chambers, 580 Pacific St., Monterey. Also via Zoom at bit. ly/26MontereyAB481. Free. View the report at monterey.gov. (831) 6463965. IN MEMORIAM The County of Monterey commemorates the unveiling of the Covid Memorial Garden. The memorial honors those in Monterey County who died from Covid-19. 10:30am Tuesday, March 10. Board of Supervisors Chambers, 168 W. Alisal St., first floor, Salinas. Also via Zoom at montereycty.zoom.us/j/224397747. Free. (831) 755-5011, mejiacortezj@ countyofmonterey.gov. WATER WISE League of Women Voters of Monterey County present a talk titled “Water 101: Who’s in Charge?” Representatives from local water agencies provide project updates. 11:30am (program begins at 12:30pm) Wednesday, March 11. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel. $25/lunch; free/talk. (831) 236-1611, beverlygb@gmail.com. RACE TO THE TOP Six Democratic candidates for governor of California participate in a forum about issues facing the state and the local area. The forum is presented by the Democratic Women of Monterey County, Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County and San Benito County Democrats. 6-8pm Thursday, March 12. Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Aguajito Road, Monterey. $25; $10/students. dw-mc. org. RIVER RESILIENCE The draft Pajaro River Watershed Resilience Plan is available for the public’s review and feedback. The plan guides the future planning process for the Pajaro River watershed. Comment period runs through March 16. pvwater.org/prwrp. Deep Well 2026 marks a key decision year for groundwater management in the Salinas Valley. By Katie Rodriguez The construction of Monterey Regional Airport’s replacement terminal is underway and slated for completion in the summer of 2027. One new feature will be jet bridges. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “It’s the same scale as the existing building… very compact.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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