Posted by Founder, Bicycling Monterey

Bike Salinas: Where are street improvements needed?

Thank you to the California Transportation Commission for approving on January 29, 2014 funds for bike lanes /Class II bikeway on Davis Road, from Rossi Street to Blanco Road. As the Commission’s report noted, funding for the lanes was approved because the lanes mean better public safety, allow for a convenient and scenic ride, are key to connectivity, and encourage alternative modes of transportation, which also improves air quality. The cost of the project includes such things as replacing curb, gutter, and sidewalk on the segment south of Rossi Street. And as reported by Cassandra Arsenault on 2/12/14 for KION in “Bike Lanes For High Volume Traffic Area,” of course, costs also include design, and environmental impact reports, as well as construction costs.

This is a project of the Monterey County Public Works Department, and appreciation is in order to county staff for leading the way on this bikeway improvement.

Thanks also to Allison Gatlin of the Salinas Californian and Sara Rubin of the Monterey County Weekly for reporting this news. As Rubin’s story pointed out, this bikeway project is one of 32 new transportation projects for which a total of $138 million in state funding was allocated. Click here; and for the Davis Road bike lanes, see bottom page 5.

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Do you bike Salinas, as the people in this post and I love to do? Where in Salinas would you like to see bicycle infrastructure improvements?

MYO Pure Frozen Yogurt (above and below)–a popular spot for bicyclists–is one place where bike racks would get steady use.

Salinas bike map

Salinas has provided 95 miles of connected bikeways for travel throughout the City and continues its work to complete the City bicycle network. (Reference: News Release 05 07 2012 Salinas Council Pedal Power.)

Download the City of Salinas Bicycle Facilities Map, in – English and Español. (For other Spanish biking resources, click here.)

The City of Salinas has been moving in the direction of Complete Streets since 2002. As funds allow, Salinas is committed to keep moving in the direction of a better transportation experience for bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, and motor vehicle drivers alike.

On 3/27/13, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County’s Complete Streets coordinator, transportation planner Ariana Green, will meet with City of Salinas Transportation Planner James Serrano and Deputy City Manager and City Engineer Robert Russell.

to discuss potential projects. [Update: Improvements planned for Salinas bikeways, pgs 66-69. http://www.tamcmonterey.org/committees/bpc/meetings/2013/May/PACKET.pdf]

In advance of the 3/27 discussions among these three local planner/engineers, you can give Ariana some information that will help: Contact her before 3/27, and tell her which improvements are most important to people who bike, so she can bring that information to their discussions. [Missed that preferred deadline? Your input is still welcome.]

This will be much appreciated by the City of Salinas engineers, who are eager to keep doing all they can to make Salinas more bike-friendly. Having Ariana provide this input will help the City of Salinas prioritize funding in a way that most closely reflects the community’s greatest desires.

How to help: Tell Ariana Green (contact info below)…

Where are the following infrastructure improvements needed in Salinas?

Bike lanes
Bicycle route signs
Repave/restriping of roads or bike lanes
More bicycle detection at traffic signals
Bike racks
And dream big! Future grants might even make it possible for Salinas to someday have bike center(s), such as those Intermodal Transportation Center bicycle facilities sprouting up in other cities. Such bike centers fulfill needs of bike commuters and others for bike facilities with showers, bike repair stations (e.g., if you have a flat in the evening when bike shops are closed, and you don’t have necessary tools with you). But TAMC needs to hear from you where such facilities would be most useful.

The streets TAMC is particularly interested in getting the bike community’s input on are the following (see photos of some of these streets below):

Main Street
Market Street
Alisal Street
Navidad Road/Abbott Street
Sanborn Road/Blanco Road
Laurel Drive

Of course, TAMC would like to get input on other streets as well, but these are the focus of the Complete Streets study.

In addition to how to make Salinas better for biking, Complete Streets considers the needs of pedestrians, public transit users (e.g., folks who bike-and-ride the MST bus), and disability needs (to help ensure Salinas meets American for Disabilities Act requirements to make its streets better for everyone). Your input about those issues are also welcome and appreciated.

To learn more about TAMC’s Complete Streets Needs Assessment for Salinas and all of Monterey County, click here.

Contact Ariana before 3/27/13:

Ariana Green, Transportation Planner

Transportation Agency For Monterey County

831-775-4403 Ariana@tamcmonterey.org

Thanks to Ariana Green for alerting bicyclists to this prime opportunity to provide input.

For pictures and definitions of bike lanes and bike routes, click here, then scroll down. For discussion of bike parking laws and etiquette, click here. For bike laws and safety tips, including about sidewalk riding, click here. For other links about bike infrastructure, see end of this post.