South of Salinas Access Management Project
Project Description:
This Safety Improvement project is in Monterey County on US101 between Chualar and Salinas. The project proposes to remove all 11 at-grade median openings between Airport Road and Chualar to eliminate all left turn movements onto and off of US 101 and all U-turns. All-Way-Stop-Control will be installed on the southbound ramp intersection at Main Street Overcrossing in Chualar. Some median openings will be provided for emergency services and maintenance access. This project was initiated by District 5 Traffic Safety as a countermeasure to reduce the frequency and severity of cross-median collisions.
Map:
Project Benefits:
Purpose:
The purpose of this project is to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions involving crossing and left-turn movements.
Need:
Collisions at some of the at-grade intersections on this segment have been occurring at a rate higher than the state-wide average, triggering the need to implement access management strategies to reduce the number of crossing and left-turn movements.
Proposed Project Schedule:
| Process | Date |
|---|---|
| CTC approves safety project (completed) | January 2025 |
| Design (Underway) | February 2025 to March 2026 |
| Construction Contract Award | April 2026 |
| Approximate Construction Start* | Late June/July 2026 |
| Approximate Construction to be completed | Late 2026 / Early 2027 |
*Full median closure will occur at start of construction as temporary barriers are installed (note: construction start date is approximate only and subject to change, dependent on design and contract award progress).
Project Contact:
Meg Henry, Project Manager
Phone: 805-441-3792
Email: meg.henry@dot.ca.gov
District 5 Public Information Office
Phone: 805-549-3318
Email: info-d5@dot.ca.gov
Project Documents:
Project Initiation Report dated 12/10/2024 (EA 05-1S590) is available upon request through Caltrans Public Records Request Center: https://caltrans.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP/_rs/(S(peagshupmxc1vcsjrz00z00v))/supporthome.aspx
Title VI Information
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assures that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and Federal Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).
Caltrans will make every effort to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether they are federally funded or not, and that services and benefits are fairly distributed to all people, regardless of race, color, or national origin. In addition, Caltrans will facilitate meaningful participation in the transportation planning process in a nondiscriminatory manner.