Coversheet


Agenda Item 5.


TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY *Memorandum*

To:	Board of Directors
From:	Doug Bilse, Principal Engineer
Meeting Date:	October 26, 2022
Subject:	Corridor Advisor Report

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE a presentation from PointC, the Agency's Corridor Advisor, regarding the status and the Agency's efforts to deliver Measure X projects along US 101 South of Salinas, State Route 68, and State Route 156.

SUMMARY:

PointC serves as the Agency's Corridor Advisor. The team is tasked with assisting with the delivery of state highway improvement projects that use Measure X funds. This includes working with Caltrans and TAMC staff to evaluate project delivery schedules, facilitate project team meetings, and develop funding strategies. Tony Harris will share his observations and insight on the current status of the State Route 68 Scenic Highway, US 101 South of Salinas, and State Route 156/Castroville interchange projects.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The contract with PointC is for $500,000 over the next three years. Measure X allocated $110M for the three main state highway improvement projects including State Route 68 Scenic Highway, US 101 South of Salinas, and State Route 156/Castroville Boulevard Interchange projects.

DISCUSSION:

In 2022, the Transportation Agency entered into a consultant agreement with PointC to act as the agency's Corridor Advisor after a competitive solicitation. Tony Harris is the firm's principal and the main contributor for this contract. His unique experience with Caltrans provides great insight to the delivery process for state highway projects involving Caltrans. Mr. Harris will share his observations with the TAMC Board with respect to the following three projects that have a total of $110M allocated from Measure X funds:

State Route 68 Scenic Highway: Measure X allocates $50M towards this project to address safety issues and improve traffic flow along State Route 68 between Salinas and the Monterey Peninsula. The project will enhance up to nine intersections between San Benancio Road and Olmstead Road while maintaining State Route 68 to be one lane in each direction of travel. Caltrans recently completed the conceptual designs for the corridor and TAMC staff is scheduling a comprehensive public outreach effort that will include a series of meetings with individual stakeholders to discuss project challenges and potential solutions.

US 101 South of Salinas: Measure X allocates $30M towards this project to reconstruct the existing interchanges at Abbott Street and Main Street in Chualar. These new interchanges will link to new frontage roads adjacent to US 101 between Salinas and Chualar. These improvements will provide safe access to the agriculture fields and associated businesses. These improvements will eliminate all at-grade left turn movements along US 101 and avoid vehicle crossings of the railroad tracks. A series of stakeholder meetings is being scheduled by TAMC staff to inform the Chualar community about the project and gain insight into potential issues as the project begins the environmental review and preliminary design phase.

State Route 156/Castroville Boulevard Interchange: Measure X allocates $30M towards this project to remove the signalized intersection on State Route 156 at Castroville Boulevard and replace it with a grade-separated interchange. The interchange introduces an overpass that will safely link State Route 156 to land uses north of the highway including North County High School and the proposed Castroville Oaks project. The construction phase for this project is scheduled to commence in the summer 2023.

Mr. Harris will review current issues and set expectations going forward on these important projects. He will also give insight into funding opportunities and how recent legislation may impact the delivery of these projects.