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Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee meetings, Transportation Agency for Monterey County — Public welcome

Mark your calendar for the 2023 TAMC bike-ped meeting dates (listed below). Meetings begin at 6 p.m. The meeting agenda and packet are normally posted on TAMC’s website about a week prior to the meeting https://www.tamcmonterey.org/bike-and-pedestrian-facilities-advisory-committee, and we usually promptly share them below too.

TAMC’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Remote participation (joining in via Zoom, or via telephone) remains an option for members of the public and non-voting committee members. History: Meetings were held via remote conferencing only from May 2020 through February 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic; since the March 1, 2023 meeting, there is a physical meeting location too.

If you have questions or want help regarding how to participate, phone or email either of the following: TAMC bike-ped support staff person Maria Montiel https://www.tamcmonterey.org/maria-montiel-administrative-assistant; or TAMC bike-ped coordinator Janneke Strause https://www.tamcmonterey.org/janneke-strause-transportation-planner.

Remote participation allows more people from throughout Monterey County (3,771 square miles) to join in, since it does not require traveling to a meeting.

Related post: Speak up for bicycling and other active transportation in Monterey County

https://bikemonterey.org/speak-up-for-bicycling-transportation-agency-for-monterey-countys-bike-ped-committee.html

2023 meetings

https://www.tamcmonterey.org/bike-and-pedestrian-facilities-advisory-committee

2022 meetings (archived here for ease of referral)

Note that draft minutes often have errors. If confused or surprised by something in the draft minutes, e.g., something supposedly stated by us, please contact us for clarification. (Or, likewise, contact any person who may have been misquoted in the draft minutes.)

January 5, 2022 – Agenda and packet: BPC_Agenda_Packet_January_2022_Meeting

February 2, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/cc3238a0d/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_February_2022_Meeting.pdf

March 2, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/c16e67bd4/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_March_2022_Meeting.pdf

April 6, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/7bea7d85a/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_2022_April_Meeting.pdf

May 4, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/195d29b2e/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_May_2022_Meeting_.pdf

June 1, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/ebf95dea7/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_June_2022_Meeting.pdf

July – NO MEETING

August 3, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/8b54101d3/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_August_2022_Meeting.pdf

September 7, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/ef0691e09/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_September_2022_Meeting.pdf

October 5, 2022 – Agenda and packet: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/840aa73e1/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_October_2022_Meeting.pdf

November 2, 2022 – Agenda and packet:
https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/305c97ed8/BPC_Agenda_PACKET_November_2022_Meeting.pdf

December – NO MEETING

2021 meetings (archived here for ease of referral)

Although the information below remains relevant, with regard to the links, kindly note:

TAMC redesigned their website in fall 2020 with the unfortunate result that virtually all our links to TAMC’s site now lead to an error message. We wish that our available volunteer hours allowed us to change Bicycling Monterey’s hundreds of outbound links to TAMC’s website. You may find that using TAMC’s search window turns up the info you’re seeking—or not. Another option is to do an advanced web search (i.e., typing in your browser’s search window “site:tamcmonterey.org” along with keywords regarding the info you’re seeking). Or contact TAMC for help: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/contact-us. Good places to start on TAMC’s site: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/bicycle-pedestrian-committee and https://www.tamcmonterey.org/bike-pedestrian.

¿Necesita un intérprete de español para participar en las reuniones de TAMC? Póngase en contacto con TAMC al menos 72 horas antes de la reunión. Se harán todos los esfuerzos razonables para satisfacer la solicitud. Para bicicletas y peatones TAMC información en español: Stefania Castillo o Maria Montiel: http://www.tamcmonterey.org/contact/staff/

 

Want a more bike-friendly Monterey County?

As we refer to in January 2020 Bike Buzz, there are good reasons to get involved in infrastructure planning. It’s quick and easy to rant online; it takes more effort to effectively advocate for the changes you’d like to see in your community and beyond.
One way to help improve infrastructure and more is to stay informed and give input about the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) bike-ped activities and projects.
Monterey County residents are encouraged to advocate for bicycling and other active transportation (walking, skating, scooting), by applying to serve as a committee member on TAMC’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee. In addition to  committee members, guests are welcome at these meetings, which are open to  the public.
Meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month, except no meetings in July or December—and be aware TAMC occasionally cancels a regularly scheduled meeting. (Get on TAMC’s email list for notifications.) Your participation at the meetings—whether as a guest or as a committee member—is needed and appreciated. Meetings normally begin at 6 p.m., with a light supper provided (i.e., sandwiches, etc.). Although meetings are scheduled to end at 8 p.m., they often end earlier—sometimes as early as 7 p.m.

Photo below: This entrepreneurial youth in Castroville is one of the many Monterey County paleteros, bicycle couriers, and others—even an automotive shop—using cargo bikes or trailers. People bicycling Castroville will be glad to hear that in 2020, a TAMC bike-ped meeting will be held in Castroville for the first time.

Read on to learn more—including about meeting locations, lack of representation for various communities, and other details about TAMC meetings.

As of January 3, 2020, the 2020 meetings have tentatively been scheduled for some new locations. Most months they are still planned for Salinas; and one month each, they are planned for Gonzales or Sand City. But for the first time, they are also scheduled, one month each, for Castroville and Marina. For all meeting dates, locations, agendas, and packets, refer to http://www.tamcmonterey.org/board-committees/bicycle-pedestrian-committee/meetings-agendas/. [UPDATE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings were held remotely only May 6, 2020 – February 1, 2023. Check with TAMC for any changes and for future meeting locations.]

(History: Prior to 2020, most meetings had been held in Salinas or Sand City, except that the May 2018 meeting was in Gonzales. Some people had expressed interest in participating via conference call; note the Brown Act requirement here.)

Lack of representation

[4/21/20 update: According to TAMC’s 5/6 meeting agenda, only 7 of 13 voting membership spots are filled at this time.]

Notice all the empty spots in TAMC’s bike-ped committee membership. What’s the impact of that? The interests of people who bike, walk, skate, and scoot in those areas of Monterey County are not being optimally represented at the meetings.
According to the TAMC website on January 3, 2020, committee vacancies include that there’s no representative for the cities of Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Marina, and Soledad; and no representative for Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, Monterey Bay Air Resources District (formerly Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District), Monterey County Health Department, North County Recreation and Park District, and Fort Ord Reuse Authority.
There are also many vacancies for alternate representatives, including Monterey County Supervisorial Districts 1 and 3; cities of Carmel, Greenfield, King City, Monterey, and Sand City; and California State University Monterey Bay, Caltrans District 5, and Monterey Salinas Transit.

Visit a meeting to check out what the committee does. Maybe you’ll end up deciding to volunteer to serve on the committee (and in some cases, your employer may pay you to attend). Even if you don’t become a committee member, you’re welcome to attend the meetings anytime.

Maybe your schedule is already packed with bicycling advocacy tasks (we can relate—see our numerous projects), and you simply can’t add in serving on TAMC’s bike-ped committee. Or maybe you are eager to give input to TAMC but just can’t make it to any Wednesday eve meetings. You’re still encouraged to contact TAMC about other ways to stay in touch with the committee’s work (e.g., getting on their email lists), and to provide your input.

For example, Bicycling Monterey’s founder regularly reviews the packets issued before each meeting. And we occasionally provide written input for the committee’s consideration, such as for the April 3, 2019 meeting—April 3 Bike-Ped public comments; for the January 9, 2019 meeting, https://bikemonterey.org/casa-verde-near-fremont-in-monterey-and-other-developments-also-monterey-county-fair-event-center-bicycle-parking.html; and for the November 7, 2018 meeting, https://bikemonterey.org/nov-7-tamc-bicycle-and-pedestrian-advisory-committee.html.

Questions?

Contact TAMC’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator(s).

Update: As of 11/22/21, a new TAMC planner, Janneke Strause, will serve as TAMC’s bike-ped coordinator. Look for her contact info to be added soon to https://www.tamcmonterey.org/bicycle-pedestrian-committee and to TAMC’s staff page https://www.tamcmonterey.org/staffRefer to TAMC’s staff page to learn which TAMC staff are assigned to other bike-related projects such as the wayfinding plan, bike map (a map update is now planned for 2022), and more. 

Note: In some counties, such meetings are commonly referred to as “BPAC” meetings rather than “Bike-Ped” or “BPC” meetings, as they’re most often referred to in Monterey County.

Below, learn how to report a bikeway maintenance need, and learn about TAMC’s “Bike Secure Program.”

Photo below: Kaki Cheung, a former bike-ped coordinator for TAMC.

“Bike Secure Program”

Bike Secure Program is a bit of a misnomer, since it includes bicycle repair stations and skateboard racks too. Check it out, and encourage property owners to apply for free bike racks, lockers, repair stations whenever funds are available. See https://www.tamcmonterey.org/programs/bike-pedestrian/bicycle-secure-program/.  For some history of this TAMC program, and for related advocacy tips, see https://bikemonterey.org/free-bike-racks-lockers-repair-stations-or-skateboardscooter-racks.html.

To report a bikeway maintenance need

For Monterey County, you may report to TAMC: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/contact/bike-service-request-form/

For Monterey County, and for all California highways, refer also to Bicycling Monterey’s tips: https://bikemonterey.org/where-to-report-a-bikeway-maintenance-need-in-monterey-county-plus-maintenance-needs-for-california-state-highways.html

Tell others too, e.g., by posting links on social media.

Below: Ariana Green, who has also served as TAMC bike-ped coordinator. When that photo was taken (2012), Ariana was a traffic planner with the City of Monterey, and she was beaming about new bike racks in downtown Monterey. Photo provided by Ariana Green.

 
 
 

This post was previously published on July 31, 2017. It was partially updated January 2, 2019 and was republished April 1, 2019, with a link added to public comments for the April 3 meeting. It was updated —including regarding current committee vacancies, and the tentatively scheduled new 2020 meeting locations—and republished on January 3, 2020. 

This post was published on 3 January 2020. One or more changes last made to this post on 29 August 2023.

  1. marilynch says:

    Thank you for your interest, MacGregor, and for promoting bicycling, walking, skating, and public transit use in your column “We Could Car Less.” I hope Angie will see your comment and email you. (Due to Bicycling Monterey’s privacy policy, it’s not possible to give out her contact information.)

  2. MacGregor Eddy says:

    I would like to speak to Angie for my column, We Could Car Less, which runs on Fridays in the Salinas Californian. My email is wecouldcarless@gmail.com.

  3. marilynch says:

    Hi, Angie. For updates about TAMC bike-ped meetings, and other bike-ped news from TAMC, click on “Sign up for Committee updates” on the following page of TAMC’s website: http://www.tamcmonterey.org/board-committees/bicycle-pedestrian-committee/

  4. I am from the Gonzales area. Please send an email for next meeting.

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