RELEASE DATE:         Friday, October 13, 2023

MONTEREY COUNTY – The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC), in partnership with the City of King, announced that King City residents and workers, age 12 and older will have the opportunity to vote to determine which Safe Routes to School projects to fund in their city. Voters can cast their votes from October 27 – November 12, by selecting from a list of projects developed by the King City Safe Routes to School Steering Committee and designed to make it safer for kids and families to get to and from school. 

The Steering Committee, made up of residents and community advocates, formed in May 2023, worked with the Safe Routes to School program partners and the City of King to develop two proposals (consisting of eleven total projects)  for the community to vote on. Through this participatory budgeting process, residents will help determine how to spend $250,000 allocated for safety improvements. 

In celebration of the participatory budgeting process, the election will kick-off on Sunday, October 29th at the Dia de Los Muertos event from 11 am – 3 pm, where community members can learn about the projects, ask questions, and cast their votes either on-site, online at https://bit.ly/kingcityvote, or take a ballot and drop it off at one of the ballot drop-off sites. 

Learn more about King City Participatory Budgeting at: https://bit.ly/kingcitypb.

Ballot drop-off sites:   

•       Chalone Peaks Middle School, 687 Meyer Street, 8:00 am – 2:25 pm, Monday - Friday

•       King City High School, 720 Broadway Street, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday

•       Del Rey Elementary School, 502 King Street, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday

•       Santa Lucia Elementary School, 502 Collins Street, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday

•       King City Arts Magnet, 415 Pearl Street, 7:00 am – 3:30 pm, Monday – Friday

•       City Hall, 212 South Vanderhurst Avenue, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday

•       King City Branch Library, 402 Broadway Street, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday – Thursday;  10:00 am -5:00 pm, Friday - Saturday

•       Cal Works Employment Services, 200 Broadway Street, #62, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday

•       St John Catholic Church, 504 North 3rd Street, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday, 7:00 pm, Saturday, and 7:30 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am 1:00 pm, Sunday

The winning projects will be announced in January 2024 and recommended for implementation to the King City Council. The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan will be adopted in Fall 2024. 

For more information about the King City Participatory Budgeting project visit: www.bit.ly/kingcitypb; the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan webpage; or contact Aaron Hernandez, Transportation Planner, TAMC at 831 775-4412, aaron@tamcmonterey.org (Hablo español) or Janneke Strause, Transportation Planner, TAMC at 831 775-4410, janneke@tamcmonterey.org.

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 The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) is responsible for investing in regional transportation projects for Monterey County residents, businesses, and visitors.  The mission of TAMC is to develop and maintain a multimodal transportation system that enhances mobility, safety, access, environment quality and economic activities in Monterey County. For more information visit www.tamcmonterey.org or call 831.775.0903.

  “The” Safe Route to School” is a TAMC program which offers tools, programming, and resources to schools, guardians, and communities aimed at improving safety and traffic around schools. The program’s goal is to keep every child safe and healthy by reducing the number of students involved in collisions to zero. For more information visit https://saferoutesmonterey.org "

About Participatory Budgeting

 Participatory budgeting is a democratic process where community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. A Steering Committee made up of community representatives including students, parents, schools, advocacy groups, and residents is formed to design the election process. The participatory budgeting process in Monterey County is part of the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan being implemented in Greenfield, Gonzales, Soledad and King City. 

The Safe Routes to School Program is a Measure X-funded initiative. The Program leverages Measure X with state and federal funds for projects and programs that improve children's health by making walking and bicycling safer and easier. 

King City Participatory Budgeting Project List   (See the Voter’s Guide on the project website for more information about each project)

PROPOSAL 1

1.      Pedestrian Improvements on Spreckels Road

2.      Bike Lane on Bitterwater Road 

3.      Bicycle Improvements on River Drive

 PROPOSAL 2

1.      Pedestrian Improvements at San Antonio Dr and Spreckels Rd and Creek Bridge Soccer Park

2.      Pedestrian Improvements at Canal Street and Division Street

3.      Pedestrian Improvements on King Street and Russ Street Intersections

4.      Pedestrian Improvements on King and 3rd Street

5.      Pedestrian Improvements on Russ Street and Ulrey Street

6.      Pedestrian Improvements on Collins Street and Mildred Avenue

7.      Pedestrian Improvements on Ellis Street

8.      Pedestrian Improvements on Russ Street and Bassett Street

King City Participatory Budgeting Voter Guide: https://bit.ly/kingcitypb