The Pajaro to Prunedale Corridor Study is evaluating how to improve operations, safety, maintenance, and stormwater management to accommodate current and future travel patterns along the G12 Corridor (San Miguel Canyon Road - Hall Road - Elkhorn Road - Salinas Road - Porter Drive) that links US 101 to State Route 1 in North Monterey County.

TAMC received a $282,942 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning grant to develop the Pajaro to Prunedale Corridor study. State Rural Planning Assistance funds and local funds totaling $55,883 are budgeted as matching funds. The total study cost is budgeted at $338,813.  The County of Monterey has identified this corridor as a key route for investments of its SB 1 gas tax and Measure X sales tax revenues.

The Pajaro to Prunedale study is analyzing current and future travel patterns and proposing improvements along this heavily-traveled route that links north Monterey County and south Santa Cruz County (see corridor map, attached). The desired end product is a set of affordable mid-term improvements that will enhance traffic flow, and improve safety for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists, improve access to transit service for residents and commuters, and facilitate stormwater management.

The study is now entering the second phase of public outreach, with draft conceptual improvements are being shared for public review. The concepts include a mix of traffic safety and operational improvements for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians in the communities of Pajaro, Las Lomas, and Prunedale. These potential improvements include adding roundabouts or traffic signals at major intersections, adding center turn lanes, filling in sidewalk gaps, adding bicycle lanes, and enhancing crosswalks. 

The conceptual improvements were developed through a combination of technical studies and public outreach. The first phase of public outreach took place between April and June of 2018, and included three public workshops and a Board presentation in May. The project team also completed the existing conditions report and travel demand modeling in the summer of 2018. After reviewing existing and future conditions, as well as the information gathered from the workshops, community group, and website, the project team developed the set of conceptual improvements for the corridor.   

The team has tailored its public outreach effort to best reflect the diverse nature of the three residential communities of Pajaro, Las Lomas and Prunedale, as well as take into account the needs of the regional commuters, and freight traffic in the corridor. The intent of the public outreach program is to fully capture the communities' transportation concerns and to create a set of proposed improvements to meet both the local and regional needs.

For the current phase of public outreach, staff will present the improvement concepts to the Transportation Agency Board of Directors at the December meeting, and at three community workshops. The community workshops will be in the evening from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm and will be held:

• Monday, December 3rd at the Prunedale Grange Hall
• Wednesday, December 5th at the Hall District Elementary School
• Thursday, December 6th at the Pajaro Middle School

Public input on the concepts will also be obtained through the project website, www.pajarotoprunedalestudy.org, and further stakeholder engagement (meetings, e-mails, etc.). 

The final draft Pajaro to Prunedale Corridor study is anticipated to be released in early 2019 for public review and is scheduled to considered by the TAMC Board for acceptance in March of 2019.