CA: New study envisions future of transportation in Monterey County

Monterey County is setting the stage for a future of transportation that goes beyond today’s sole focus on individual car ownership.

A new study, the Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study, is a preliminary step towards making that future a reality, with recommendations for key areas of opportunity – things like expanded public transport, bike hubs and car shares – in the effort to make Monterey County more easily and sustainably navigated.

The report, which was presented to the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, was prepared by Mobycon Inc., a Dutch consulting firm that specializes in sustainable transportation in partnership with the county’s Sustainability Program staff.

“This study is going to be a foundation for future grants dealing with transportation and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and also providing economic and connectivity benefits to our communities,” said Cora Panturad, sustainability manager for Monterey County.

The study was developed after an extensive data collection phase, including advisory committees, focus groups and surveys involving participants like Monterey Salinas Transit, Transportation Agency for Monterey County, Cal State Monterey Bay and Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

The study describes two types of transportation to serve as conceptual templates for future grant proposals: “zero emission” transportation which includes anything that doesn’t involve tailpipe emissions, like electric vehicles, walking and cycling and “shared mobility” which includes public transportation, ride sourcing with Uber or Lyft, vanpools and carshares.

The study envisions “mobility hubs” of different scales to serve as a backbone connecting different forms of zero emission and shared transportation.

“This is where you’re accessing transit, where you’re picking up a bike, where you’re dropping off a shared car,” said Nick Falbo from Mobycon.

Falbo said the largest of these mobility hubs could be in Monterey and Salinas, building on existing public transportation centers by adding things like car shares, EV charging stations and “bike libraries.”

By making one central location where multiple transportation methods come together, it will be easier to connect between different modes of sustainable transport, like bus routes and car shares, said Falbo.

“Those pieces come together to make interconnecting your trips easier,” Falbo said.

Another project envisioned by the study included expanding the summer Monterey Trolley service to run year round. The study also proposes a Big Sur Scenic Corridor Shuttle, which would provide access to popular tourist destinations with a fleet of shuttle buses modeled after the successful Yosemite Valley shuttle system.

Falbo stressed that partnership with individual cities, public libraries, community organizations and nonprofits will be required.

“While Monterey County funded this study and convened the partners to have this conversation, the county isn’t necessarily leading the implementation of all of these actions so they will require partnerships with others to make this happen,” Falbo said.

To find the complete Zero Emissions Shared Mobility Study, visit: https://monterey.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=1662760f-c96b-448c-9af8-f764ff04b8c9.pdf

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