This presentation is intended to update Technical Advisory Committee members on four regional transportation projects that are leveraging Measure X sales tax funds.
SR 68 Scenic Corridor Safety and Operations Improvements
This project is currently in the preliminary engineering and environmental phase. Caltrans is the Lead agency and is preparing 35% design for Alternative 1, which proposes to replace the nine existing traffic signals with roundabouts, and Alternative 2, which proposes to widen each intersection to four lanes and upgrade the the existing traffic signals. The Transportation Agency is providing project management and roundabout design support. Caltrans is also preparing the technical studies and environmental impact report. The critical path for this phase is the archaeological assessment that leads to a final environmental impact report in September 2023. The next phase of the project is final engineering design that will follow certification of the environmental impact report by the California Transportation Commission.
The preliminary engineering and environmental phase is funded by the following sources:
State Transportation Improvement Program $3,400,000
Highway Improvement Program $2,594,000
Measure X $640,000
Phase Total = $6,634,000
State Route 156 / Castroville Blvd Interchange
The SR 156 / Castroville Blvd interchange is the first stage of the SR 156 West Corridor Project between Highway 1 and US 101. The overall project has completed the environmental phase. The SR 156 / Castroville Blvd Interchange is currently in the design and right-of-way phase. Caltrans is leading the design with the Transportation Agency providing project management and roundabout design support. Caltrans has completed 65% plans and is moving toward 90% plans on stage 1.
This phase of the project also involves permitting by regulatory agencies with mitigation measures for environmental impacts. The State Legislature recently passed and the Governor signed Senate Bill 1231, authorizing the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue a permit for the take of the Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander habitat resulting from impacts attributable to the construction along the State Route 156 corridor through Moro Cojo Slough in the County of Monterey for the purpose of enhancing safety and access, if certain conditions are satisfied. This bill allows TAMC to implement safety improvements to eliminate collisions and fatalities along the SR 156 corridor while allowing for enhanced mitigation for an endangered species. The schedule for coordination and permitting coincides with the final design and right-of-way schedule for the interchange. The project is expected to be ready to list for construction bids in Summer 2022.
The design and right-of-way phase is funded by the State Transportation Improvement Program for $25,700,000. Caltrans and the Transportation Agency recently submitted three Senate Bill 1 grant applications, leveraging Measure X funds, to fully fund construction of the interchange project.
US 101 South of Salinas Improvements
The US 101 South of Salinas Improvement project has a previously completed corridor study and project study report; however, the range of possible alternatives is so large that the environmental work would would be cost and time prohibitive. For this reason, the Transportation Agency is undertaking a study with extensive outreach to narrow down the range of reasonable alternatives, as a bridge to the environmental phase. The completed study alternatives will reflect the results of the robust outreach campaign, leading to an efficient environmental review process and a more focused preliminary engineering effort. While some study elements have been delayed due to COVID19 impacts, the initial online outreach process proved fruitful. The study is moving toward identifying various options for reducing fatal and injury crashes occurring in at-grade highway intersections and improving safety along the US 101 corridor from Abbott Street in Salinas to Main Street in Chualar.
The study phase of the project is funded by Measure X Sales Tax revenue for $440,000. The next phase, preliminary engineering and environmental review, is funded through the State Transportation Improvement Program for $8,611,000.
SURF! Busway and Rapid Transit Project
This project, identified in Measure X as the Highway 1 Traffic Relief - Busway, proposes to construct a dedicated busway in the Monterey Branch Line rail right-of-way between Marina and Sand City. Monterey-Salinas Transit is leading the project and the Transportation Agency is providing project management support and design oversight. The project is currently in the preliminary engineering and environmental phase. The consulting team is nearing completion of the preliminary engineering design and technical studies for the environmental impact report. The draft environmental impact report is expected to be circulated in Spring 2021.
The preliminary engineering and environmental phase is funded by the following sources:
Measure X Sales Tax revenue $1,450,000
Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program (MST's share) $100,000
Phase Total $1,550,000