SALINAS VALLEY — The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan has been officially adopted by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Board of Directors and the city councils of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City.
“This milestone marks a significant achievement in efforts to improve safety for students biking and walking to 22 public K-12 schools across the region,” according to TAMC in a news release Feb. 24.
The Plan has been a collaborative effort involving TAMC, Monterey County Health Department, Ecology Action, the Cities of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King, and the five school districts in the Salinas Valley. The goal of the Safe Routes to Schools planning process is to improve student safety and reduce traffic congestion around schools.
“Community input played a crucial role in shaping the Plan, ensuring it reflects local priorities and addresses community concerns,” stated TAMC.
The recommendations in the Plan are based on feedback from residents, parents and school staff.
To support the development of the Plan, each city established a Safe Routes to School Steering Committee. These committees were comprised of community representatives, including students, parents, school staff and residents.
TAMC allocated $250,000 for each city to fund safe street improvements near schools, and the Steering Committees planned and led a community election process in which each community could vote on how funds should be spent.
The Plan includes a list of recommended street projects and Safe Routes to School programs designed to improve safety around each of the 22 schools. Approved infrastructure improvements include new sidewalks, enhanced crosswalks, bike facilities and other critical safety features.
“Additionally, the Plan outlines new programs like safety education, walking school buses and carpooling initiatives to support safer and more accessible routes to school,” added TAMC.
Community members had the chance to experience and provide feedback on potential street design changes during the planning process. Temporary installations of new street designs in each of the four cities allowed the community to evaluate and comment on proposed changes without making them permanent.
Feedback gathered during these installations informed the final design decisions.
“The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan represents a collaborative effort to create safer, more accessible routes for students while promoting healthier, more active lifestyles for families,” stated TAMC.
To read the final Salinas Valley Safe Routes to Schools Plan, and for more information on Safe Routes to School efforts in Monterey County, visit saferoutesmonterey.org/programs/evaluation/. Recommendations for each school site are available in English and Spanish.
The Plan was funded through a Sustainable Communities Transportation Planning grant from the California Department of Transportation and local Measure X transportation sales tax funds.
