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TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY Memorandum | |
| | | | | | | | | To: | Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee | | From: | Stefania Castillo, Transportation Planner | | Meeting Date: | November 7, 2018 | | Subject: | City of Salinas - Draft East Alisal Corridor Concepts |
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| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION: | City of Salinas Draft Alisal Corridor Concepts:
- RECEIVE report from City Staff on the draft East Alisal Corridor Concepts; and
- PROVIDE comments on proposed concepts.
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| | | | | | | | | SUMMARY: | | The City of Salinas received a Sustainable Communities Planning Grant from Caltrans to develop a Complete Streets Corridor Plan. Plan development included a public outreach effort that include a charette, pop-up events and community updates beginning in Fall 2017. The draft Plan is anticipated to be completed by December 2018, City of Salinas staff would like to get feedback from the TAMC Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee on corridor concepts proposed for the Corridor Plan. |
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| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT: | | The Alisal Corridor Complete Streets Plan is funded by a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning grant awarded to the City of Salinas in 2016. |
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| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION: | The Alisal Corridor is an approximately 5-mile major east-west major arterial street that crosses the City from Blanco Road to Alisal Road. The segment provides connection to County Roads and within the downtown area has links to State Route 183 and State Route 68.
The roadway is currently a 4-lane undivided arterial up to Main Street in downtown Salinas. From Main Street to Skyway Boulevard, the corridor has some form of left turn channelization with two-way left turn lanes or left turn pockets. There are median islands in some segments. From Skyway Boulevard, the corridor is a 2-lane arterial street. The corridor is characterized in public meetings as unfriendly to bicycle and pedestrians. There are no bicycle facilities for most of the segment.
The City is completing design on the West Alisal Corridor. The segment from Blanco Road to Front Street has received funding from federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and TAMC to make complete street improvements. Construction of improvements for the West Alisal segment are expected to begin in 2019. The East Alisal corridor plan therefore focuses on the remaining segments, beginning at Front Street and continuing to Bardin/Alisal Road.
The conceptual plans for the East Alisal Corridor are divided into three segments:
Segment one: West Segment (Front Street to Kern Street)
The existing four-lane street configuration is proposed to be converted to a two-lane facility with a two-way left turn lane and 6-foot wide buffered bike lanes on both sides of the street. The buffer is 3 feet separation from the adjacent travel lane. Fifteen-foot wide sidewalks are proposed instead of the existing 8 feet. Pedestrian crossing enhancements are proposed at all existing crossings. Narrow vehicle lanes (11 feet) are proposed. There is no parking proposed along this segment. Exhibit A shows proposed concept for this segment.
Segment 2: Central Segment (Kern Street to Skyway Boulevard)
This segment continues the road diet east from Kern Street. Therefore, the proposed facility reduces vehicle travel lanes from a four- to two-lane street (Exhibit B.1 shows proposed concept for this segment). However, parking is retained throughout the segment. While existing parallel parking is kept on the south side of the street, back-in diagonal parking is proposed on the north side of the street. A sub-segment of this Central segment is an area of high pedestrian activity. Pedestrian facilities are proposed for enhancements such as highly visible crosswalks. The attached Exhibit B.2 shows a four-block segment with additional detail.
Segment 3: East Segment (Skyway Boulevard to Bardin/Alisal Road)
The preferred concept for this segment is to keep the street’s two way configuration and add a new two-way cycle track south of the existing street. The City owns existing right-of-way south of East Alisal that would accommodate a Class IV facility. At the east end of East Alisal, the City proposes a roundabout that is part of a Safe Routes to School Project. There is an existing sidewalk on the north side of the street but no sidewalk on the south side. A sidewalk or pedestrian path is proposed south of the cycle track.
The City Community Development Department had taken the lead in the development of the corridor plan. As mentioned, they have conducted much work with the community, listening to and encouraging residents to participate in the planning of facilities they would like to see. Representatives of businesses along commercial areas also participated in the community meeting. The plan therefore is intended to represent the desires of community members.
City staff anticipates completing the plan in the next month, with City Council approval by February 2019. The Plan will help with grant applications to fund implementation. The Public Works Department will be following up with the next steps, including securing funding, environmental approval, design and construction. As projects in the Corridor Plan are further developed, updates will be provided to this Committee. |
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