RELEASE DATE:         Friday,  May 12, 2023

MONTEREY COUNTY – The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC), in partnership with the City of Soledad, announced that Soledad residents and workers, age 14 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 May 18 – May 25, 2023, by selecting from a list of projects developed by the Soledad 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 October 2022, worked with the Safe Routes to School program partners and the City of Soledad to develop a list of eighteen projects for the community to vote on. Through this participatory budgeting process, residents will help determine how to spend $250,000 allocated for program safety improvements.

The election will kick-off  at the Soledad Farmers Market (Thursday Market) on Thursday, May 18, 2023, from 4 - 8 pm, at Soledad Street and Front Street in Soledad,  where community members can learn about the projects, ask questions, and cast their votes either on-site, online at the Soledad Participatory Budgeting webpage: www.bit.ly/soledadpb, or take a ballot and drop it off at one of the ballot drop-off sites.

Ballot drop-off sites:   

• Rose Ferrero Elementary School, 400 Entrada Drive, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
• Main Street Middle School, 441 Main Street, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday
• Frank Ledesma Elementary School, 973 Vista De Soledad, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday
• Jack Franscioni Elementary School, 779 Orchard Lane, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday
• Gabilan Elementary School, 330 Walker Drive, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday
• San Vicente Elementary School, 1300 Metz Road, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday
• Soledad High School, 425 Gabilan Drive, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday
• Pinnacles High School, 690 Main Street, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday
• Soledad Branch Library, 401 Gabilan Drive, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Tuesday - Wednesday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Thursday, and 10:00 – 5:00 pm, Friday - Saturday
• Soledad Community Center, 560 Walker Drive, 6:00 am – 9:00 pm, Monday – Friday; and 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, Saturday
• Soledad City Hall, 248 Main Street, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday

The winning projects will be announced in June 2023 and recommended for implementation to the Soledad City Council. The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan will be adopted in Spring 2024.

For more information about the Soledad Participatory Budgeting project visit: www.bit.ly/soledadpb; the Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Plan webpage; or contact Aaron Hernandez, Assistant 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.

Soledad Participatory Budgeting Project List :                                                                                                                                          (Refer to the Voter’s Guide link for more information about each project)

1.     Bike Lane Green Conflict Striping and Feasibility Study on Metz Road

2.     “No U-Turn” Signage and Intersection Improvement Study on Metz Road

3.     Pedestrian Improvements at Orchard Lane and Gabilan Drive

4.     Pedestrian Improvements at Vista de Soledad and Gabilan Drive

5.     Pedestrian Improvements at Benito Street and Gabilan Street

6.     Intersection Improvements at Main Street and Gabilan Drive

7.     Intersection Improvements at Main Street and Monterey Street

8.     Intersection Improvements at Main Street and Ticino Street

9.     Intersection Improvements at Main Street and North Street

10.  Intersection Improvements at Orchard Lane and San Antonio Street

11.  Traffic Circle at Orchard Lane and San Gabriel

12.  Pedestrian Improvements on Orchard Lane

13.  Pedestrian Improvements on Market Street

14.  Intersection Improvements at Market Street and Benito Street

15.  Intersection Improvements at Market Street and West Street

16.  Intersection Improvements at West Street and Entrada Drive

17.  Pedestrian Refuge at West Street and Anderson Street

18.  Pedestrian Improvements at West Street and Anderson Street

Soledad Participatory Budgeting Voter Guide: English/Spanish