Wednesday, January 27, 2021                                                                                                              

MONTEREY COUNTY – Monterey Salinas Transit (MST), in partnership with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) is seeking public input on the “SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project.”

The agencies are asking community members to help define transit amenities for the project by completing a short 2-minute survey about the proposed rapid bus corridor along Highway 1 between Seaside and Marina. The survey in Spanish and English, is available here from now until February 19, 2021. Participants who complete the survey are eligible to enter a drawing to win a $50 Starbucks gift card.

Identified in Measure X as the “Highway 1 Traffic Relief - Busway” project, Monterey-Salinas Transit is the lead agency for the recently rebranded SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit project. The project is part of a larger effort to reduce regional congestion along Highway 1 and enhance transit connections within the Monterey Peninsula. The SURF! project proposes a two-lane, bus-only corridor in the TAMC- owned Monterey Branch Line right-of-way, from Marina through Sand City and Seaside. The approximately 6 miles project includes one proposed stop at the 5th Street Station, a proposed multimodal transit hub in the former Fort Ord. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024 and service is anticipated to be operational in 2027.

“The SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit project will help reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and other pollution in and around the scenic Monterey Bay Sanctuary– preserving our local environment, and protecting the health of the community”, stated MST General Manager and CEO, Carl Sedoryk.

Once completed the SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project will increase transit service, reduce transit and automobile delays along Highway 1, enhance mobility, improve bicycle trail connections, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve travel time reliability for transit users. Additional information about the SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project can be found athttps://mst.org/about-mst/planning-development/surf/ or  https://www.tamcmonterey.org/surf-busway-and-bus-rapid-transit-project.

Please contact Madilyn Jacobson, TAMC Transportation Planner, at madilyn@tamcmonterey.org or 831-775-4402 or Ikuyo Yoneda-Lopez, MST Marketing and Customer Service Manager at ilopez@mst.org or 831-264-5880 for more information. TTY/TDD: 831-393-8111 ● 711 Relay

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 888-678-2871 / Free language assistance / Asistencia de Lenguaje Gratuito / Libreng tulong para sa wika / Hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí / 무료 언어 지원

“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.”