In 2015, the Agency received a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Sustainable Communities Planning Grant to evaluate current and future travel patterns between Salinas and the Monterey Peninsula, the feasibility of affordable mid-term operational and capacity improvements in the SR 68 corridor in context to other planned regional improvements, and the potential for wildlife connectivity enhancements.
In December 2015, the Agency approved two contracts for consultant services to complete the plan, one to conduct the wildlife connectivity analysis, and the other to conduct the travel analysis and evaluate concepts for improving travel through the corridor. In spring of 2016, the Agency conducted a round of public outreach to determine what the public viewed as the most critical needs for the corridor. The outreach included a public workshop, meetings with local jurisdictions and stakeholder groups, and an interactive online forum for people to provide comments. Through the summer and fall of 2016, the project team completed a detailed analysis of the existing conditions along the corridor. The findings of the analysis are included in technical memoranda that are available for public review at: http://www.sr68sceniccorridorstudy.com.
Since January of 2017, the project team has been developing three corridor concept alternatives for consideration. The corridor alternatives are listed below and details of each alternative will be presented at the May 3, 2017 committee meeting:
- Alternative 1: Installation of Roundabouts at Major Intersections
- Alternative 2: Selective Segment Widening with Intersection Improvements
- Alternative 3: Integrated Corridor Management (Adaptive Signalization)
All three corridor alternative would have impacts for cyclists and pedestrians. For the Roundabout alternative, the impacts are most notable at the intersections because of the changes to roundabout control. Similarly, for the Adaptive Signalization alternative, most of the changes for cyclists and pedestrians will be at the intersections due to modifications to accommodate for the improved signals. Alternative 2, the selective widening option, would have the most significant impacts for cyclists and pedestrians as it would widen multiple short sections of the existing road from two lanes to 4 lanes.
In addition to the corridor alternatives, the project team has produced a list of recommended improvements for wildlife connectivity which will be included in the final adapted corridor alternative.
Going forward, the project team will begin a second phase of public outreach, which will include a public workshop on May 4th, meeting with community groups and stakeholders individually, and promotion of the interactive project website. This public feedback will be used to help draft final recommendations for the SR 68 Scenic Highway Plan. The current project schedule calls for a draft plan to be presented to Agency Board on June 28, 2017, with approval of the final plan at the Board meeting on August 23, 2017.