The Project will replace the existing low-water crossing over the Salinas River and widen Davis Road to four travel lanes. The project also includes traffic signal upgrades at the intersection of Davis Road and Blanco Road, a new traffic signal at Davis Road and Hitchcock Road, a new roundabout at Davis Road and Reservation Road, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure enhancements.
The existing Davis Road Bridge is located approximately 2 miles south of the City of Salinas. The existing bridge is typically closed from January to April due to high water levels in the Salinas River. The Preferred Project Alternative would demolish the existing bridge and replace it with a new four-lane, high-level bridge capable of withstanding a 100-year flood. The replacement bridge would be open for year-round use. Also as part of the Project, Davis Road will be widen from two lanes to four lanes for a distance of approximately 2.1 mi between Blanco Road on the north and Reservation Road on the south. The road widening is designed to accommodate the anticipated growth in traffic in the Salinas-Marina Corridor.
Bicycle and pedestrian features of the project include implementation of a bike lane (Class II) for the entire length of Davis Road, including bike markings and intersection improvements to ease the movement of vehicles and bikes. The project also proposes to control the access points onto Davis Road to minimize the mud-tracking on the shoulder that results from agricultural vehicles/equipment movements.
The project is in the final design, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation phase. The County is actively negotiating with a number of the property owners for acquisition of the easements necessary to construct the Project. It is an anticipated that the acquisition will be completed this year, followed by the utility relocation. Construction of the Project is scheduled for 2022, dependent on obtaining full funding.