RECEIVE update on the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit project in the Monterey Branch Line corridor.

The SURF! project will construct a busway and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line within the Monterey Branch Line right-of-way, parallel to State Route 1, making it faster and easier to travel between Marina and Seaside. The project also includes bicycle and pedestrian path improvements along Del Monte Road and Beach Range Road. TAMC Principal Engineer Doug Bilse and MST Director of Planning and Innovation Michelle Overmeyer will present a project update reviewing the current schedule, project costs, funding opportunities, and upcoming public outreach.

MST and TAMC were successful in leveraging Measure X funds to secure a $25 million grant through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). State Senator John Laird secured an additional $2.5 million in the state budget.

The proposed SURF! Busway and BRT project is a six-mile, bus-only route in the TAMC-owned Monterey Branch Line corridor parallel to Highway 1. The SURF! line will connect to many existing transit lines and other routes that serve vital destinations including the Veteran's Administration Clinic and California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). The project includes new transit stops at Del Monte Boulevard and Palm Avenue in Marina and California Avenue and Playa Avenue in Sand City. When complete, SURF! will serve as a vital transit link between Marina, Sand City and Seaside improving transit service to the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley. A link to the MST project site is provided via web attachment.

Enhancements will be made to existing and proposed pedestrian and bicycle facilities along the route including:

• Bicycle and pedestrian path improvements along Del Monte Road and Beach Range Road;
• A new roundabout at the intersection of the Highway 1 southbound on-ramp at Fremont Boulevard;
• Enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities serving the proposed mobility hub near 5th Street in Marina east of Highway 1, which will include first- and last-mile amenities such as bike racks; and
• Intersection improvements at Playa and California in Sand City to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety.

The current cost estimate for the SURF! project is $58.8 million. TAMC has allocated $15 million in project support through TAMC's Transportation Safety & Investment Plan (Measure X) funds approved by a supermajority of voters in 2016. Leveraging that investment, TAMC and MST were successful securing a $25 million grant through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). State Senator John Laird secured $2.5M in the state's budget. The funding balance  of $16.3 million is being sought through state and federal grants.

Early planning and environmental review for the SURF! project is now complete. Detailed design has begun. The current schedule estimates that the design process will be completed in the spring of 2024 with some construction beginning by the end of 2024. Community outreach is an important aspect of this project. A number of public outreach events began in August. Project team members will provide a verbal update at the meeting.

• SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project