Wednesday, October 20, 2021

MONTEREY COUNTY – The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) announced that a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the temporary makeover of East Alisal Street will be held on Thursday, October 21, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm, at 523 East Alisal Street Salinas. The makeover is a temporary street design developed by the Salinas Safe Routes to School Planning team that features pedestrian improvements, bicycle lanes, and the ability for the team to test a concept included in the East Alisal Vibrancy Plan.

Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony include:

·        Lindsey Knight, Membership Development Director, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce

·        Alejandro Chavez, Executive Director, Salinas United Business Association (SUBA)

·        Luis Alejo, Supervisor, District 1, Monterey County

·        Todd Muck, Executive Director, Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC)

·        Tony Barrera, Councilmember, City of Salinas

·        Orlando Osornio, Councilmember, City of Salinas·

The temporary street design will be in place on East Alisal Street between Griffin Street and Hebbron Avenue through November 12, 2021. Members of the community are encouraged to test the new design by walking, biking, scootering, rolling, or driving along the street and provide their feedback by taking an anonymous survey available online and in paper format at businesses along E. Alisal Street. For more information please visit: saferoutesmonterey.org/planning-salinas/

E. Alisal is heavily used by families and children attending Sherwood Elementary School and has been identified as a safe routes to school corridor in the active Salinas Safe Routes to School planning process.  The corridor is also a thriving business district and according to the Salinas United Business Association, (SUBA), the street makeover could support local businesses by creating a more vibrant and walkable commercial corridor.

The Salinas Safe Routes to Schools Plan is a partnership between the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, City of Salinas, Monterey County Health Department, Ecology Action, Santa Rita Union, Salinas City, Alisal Union and Salinas High School Union School Districts.

With a nod of recognition to that partnership, Todd Muck, TAMC’s Executive Director, said, “It’s exciting to be involved in this type of collaborative planning between government agencies, businesses and community members that ultimately will make us a safer and more vibrant community.”

The project is funded through a Caltrans Sustainable Communities Transportation Planning Grant as well as local Measure X funds. Following the installation projects, the planning team will develop the draft Safe Routes to Schools Plan for 45 Salinas schools, which will be completed in 2022.

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 “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”

 “The Monterey County Health Department exists to enhance, protect and improve the health of the people in Monterey County. To accomplish this, the Department provides a wide variety of health-related services in the area of public health, environmental health, behavioral health and clinic services.”

 “Ecology Action provides innovative, equitable energy, water and transportation solutions for a prosperous low-carbon future.  We design effective programs, successfully activate communities, forge mutually beneficial partnerships and influence policy to advance equitable, climate-smart initiatives. For more information visit: https://ecoact.org/”