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Soledad backs Safe Streets ATP application to add protected bike lanes, roundabouts and school safety programs
Summary
Council approved staff’s request to submit an Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 8 application for the Safe Streets for Soledad package — a city‑wide suite of protected bike lanes, enhanced crossings, roundabouts near schools and a broad school‑focused safety/education program — and authorized commitment letters to leverage local and regional funds.
The Soledad City Council voted to submit a multi‑element Active Transportation Program Cycle 8 grant application titled “Safe Streets for Soledad,” which would fund protected bicycle facilities, pedestrian crossing improvements, several roundabouts near schools and a suite of school and community active‑transportation programs.
Project staff presented concept designs showing protected bike lanes on corridors including West Street, Orchard Lane and Front Street; roundabout concepts at Orchard/Gavilan and Orchard/Mets Road aimed at slowing traffic around schools and improving crossing safety; and program funding for walking‑school‑bus initiatives, traffic‑garden education at elementary schools, crossing‑guard training and community walking events. Staff emphasized that the designs in the grant application are conceptual; any award would be followed by environmental review, final design and community input.
Alex Rollins (engineering) and Ariana Green (grant lead) explained the city does not need a cash match but earns competitive points for leveraged local funding. Monterey‑Salinas Transit (MST) supplied a written endorsement and requested to remain engaged in design to avoid bus‑stop access problems; MST also requested that the project budget include the cost of relocating or modifying bus stops if needed. Staff said a regional transportation agency had preliminarily agreed to contribute $400,000 in regional Surface Transportation Program funds if the city wins the ATP award.
Council approved the staff recommendation to finalize and submit the ATP application by the upcoming deadline and to sign the commitment letter. Council members said they appreciated the bilingual outreach and the youth‑centered programming in the application and asked staff to coordinate with MST on bus‑stop relocations and to involve the youth council and recreation staff in community programming.
What’s next: Staff will submit the application and notify council of the outcome (anticipated award notices for this ATP cycle are expected several months after the application deadline); if awarded, the project will enter environmental review, design and construction phases with further community engagement.
