City of Salinas Bardin Road Safe Routes To School Project

Project Location

The project is located in east Salinas, more specifically on Bardin Road (from Williams Road to Sconberg Parkway) and on East Alisal Street (from Tampa Street to Bardin Road) and includes a portion of Alisal Road, a County roadway immediately adjacent to Bardin Road/East Alisal Street and Sconberg Parkway.

Project Background/Overview

On August 2016, the City of Salinas received funds from the Federal Active Transportation Program (ATP) to initiate the planning phase of the project to improve safety and accessibility of all users within this area. This program aims to encourage active living through enhancing transportation facilities designed for pedestrians and bicyclists. The program also focuses on improving routes to school to create safer streets that improve active travel to and from schools for parents, children, and the general public. The goal of this project is to ensure that travelers of all ages and abilities can move safely and efficiently along and across safe routes to and from the Bardin Elementary School, including other schools in the area.

“Complete Streets” improvements are intended to provide safe mobility for all users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists). The Bardin Road Safe Routes to School Improvements are as follows:

• Dual Roundabout System

Two roundabouts are proposed: one at Bardin Rd at Alisal St and the second one at Sconberg Parkway at Alisal Road. Roundabouts slow down traffic speeds and will channel motorists in the correct lane and reduce pedestrian crossing distance.

• Rightsizing 

Bardin Road will change from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane and buffered bicycle lanes. By implementing these changes, vehicular speeds should be reduced.

• Buffered Bicycle Lanes

Buffered bicycle lanes will be installed along Bardin Rd, will connect bicycle lanes to the north on Williams Rd and on Alisal St to the south, completing an East-West bike lane connection. The existing bicycle lanes at Alisal Street will be enhanced with a buffer and will provide connections to Bardin Road and Sconberg Parkway creating a continuous network of bicycle lanes.

Providing a buffer between bicycle lanes and vehicle lanes places bicyclists in a designated area where drivers can expect them to be, instead of the existing shared road situation between bicyclists and motorists.

• Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements

The project will install 5 new high visibility marked crosswalks along Bardin Road and Alisal Street. Four of these will be upgraded with curb bulb-outs on both sides of the crossing and will include a pedestrian refuge median (Bardin Road at Countryside Drive, Bardin Road at Sconberg Parkway, Bardin Road at new school drop-off area, and Alisal Road at Sconberg Parkway). A solar Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) system will be installed at Alisal Street at Margaret Street. 

The existing marked crosswalks at the project site will also be enhanced with high visibility pedestrian crossings. In addition, the crossing at Bardin Road and Toro Avenue will be upgraded with curb bulb outs and a solar RRFB system, and the crosswalk in front of the Bardin Elementary school will be enhanced with curb bulb outs to the west with a refuge median.

• Curb bulb-outs:

Curb bulb-outs extend pedestrian facilities further into the roadway. This enhancement will tighten the corner radii slowing turning vehicles, reducing crossing distances, and placing crossing pedestrians at a more visible location to help reduce the risk of right-hook collisions between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian. 

• Accessible (ADA) pedestrian ramps

Every intersection along Bardin Road is either missing pedestrian ramps or has pedestrian ramps that are not compliant with current accessibility standards. The project would install compliant accessible pedestrian ramps at all missing locations and upgrade existing pedestrian ramps that are currently not compliant. 

Further, the project would upgrade all non-compliant pedestrian ramps along Alisal Street (within the project limits). These ramp improvements close the gaps in accessible pedestrian travel, providing direct access to Bardin Elementary school.

• Pedestrian Path Improvements

The project would install a sidewalk between the Hartnell College driveway and Sconberg Parkway. This roadway fronts Hartnell College’s East Campus. The new sidewalk and pedestrian crossings at Bardin Road/Margaret Street and at Alisal Road/Sconberg Parkway will provide a pedestrian connection from Hartnell College’s East Campus to the residential neighborhoods.

• Road Reconstruction and Maintenance

The Bardin Road roadway will receive full reconstruction and the roadway at Alisal Street will be repaired (roadway maintenance). 

• Sanitary Sewer Mainline Repairs

Sanitary sewer mainline spot repairs on Bardin Road. 

• Streetlighting

New streetlighting will be provided along the new roadway configuration with the roundabouts to support visible and effective directional signage, as well as make the area safe in the dark.

• 2-lane student drop-off/pick-up area at Bardin Elementary School

The project is dedicating a two-lane student drop-off/pick-up area for Bardin Elementary School.

Summary:

The project completes missing gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian networks and improves safety by creating buffers between vehicles and bicyclists, reducing pedestrian crossing distances, providing appropriate pedestrian crosswalks and ramps, and establishing proper intersection control at key intersections.
The project is expected to significantly increase bicycle and pedestrian activity by making a systemic improvement that will slow down travel speeds, improving the comfort and safety of those traveling along or across the roadway. It is expected that these improvements will transform the area into an active transportation friendly environment with a unified bicycle and pedestrian network.

Project Timeline:
 

Funding: