Monterey Road Complete Streets

Presented at the January 19, 2022 , City Council Meeting: Downtown Traffic Calming and the Monterey Road Land Reduction Program Staff Report (PDF)

Project Summary Display

From November 5-12, 2021, a display (PDF) showcasing the proposed Monterey Road Lane Reduction and Beautification Project was installed at the Downtown Pop-Up Park to help acquaint the community with the elements of the project. This is a succinct summary of the components of the project. 

We encourage you to read about the project history, the project elements, and the proposed plans for implementation. Click topics for more information.

Project Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted our local businesses and continues to change how businesses operate and how community members utilize businesses as well as our Downtown. The demand for utilizing outdoor spaces continues to grow from both a business and community gathering space perspectives.  As a result, the Downtown business community requested the City Council consider reducing Monterey Road to a single lane of traffic through the Downtown to slow down the traffic, reduce noise, and improve safety.

On May 19, 2021, the City Council approved the Downtown, Monterey Road Traffic Calming and Beautification project and directed staff to design a Lane Reduction Project that improves accessibility, increases safety, and creates additional space for businesses and the community.

The City has recently held numerous community meetings, worked alongside a community-based working group, and hired an architectural design firm, AP+I Design, to develop alternatives that best implement the Lane Reduction and Beautification Project, while at the same time mitigating traffic impacts. City staff is developing designs and recommendations on how to best implement the project. 

Past Community Meetings and Engagement Opportunities

Background

One of the initiatives of the Downtown Placemaking Investment Strategy was the Monterey Road Complete Streets Pilot Project. The intent of the Complete Streets Pilot Project in 2015 was to slow down traffic and make the Downtown a more vibrant and inviting destination to shop, dine, and gather. Additionally, it was anticipated the project could improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists visiting Downtown. To test these assumptions, the project was implemented, reducing the traffic lanes from two lanes in each direction to a single travel lane with a bicycle lane through the Downtown. The Complete Streets Pilot Project resulted in one of the most significant engagement efforts the City has ever made with significant community discussion on numerous aspects. The City received a significant amount of feedback both for and against instituting the lane configuration permanently.

Survey results from the Pilot project indicated 67 percent of residents surveyed were not in favor of the project and businesses surveyed were ultimately split on making the changes permanent. Ultimately, the City Council elected to return to the prior configuration of two travel lanes in each direction, while electing to make other improvements to the Downtown for increased safety. The Council noted that it would like the Project to be reviewed in the future upon completion of future congestion management projects, including the Hale Avenue Extension Project.

Positive Outcomes from Past Pilot Program

• Increased bike and pedestrian traffic
• Reduced traffic noise Downtown
• Pedestrians and bicyclists felt more safe
• Support local businesses, directly through increased space, indirectly by increasing vibrancy of downtown
• Discouraged cut-through traffic
• 20 percent of traffic diverted to Butterfield Blvd. were semi-trucks, trucks, vans, and other loud or large vehicles
• Morning peak hour travel time improved
• Alignment with Vision Zero Morgan Hill Plan

Other Outcomes from Past Pilot Program

• Lane reduction did not support improved traffic congestion overall for the City, although it was ultimately found that traffic did move off Monterey Road and impacts were limited at the end of the trial
• Residents and businesses were very split on making the change, with the survey results at the time leaning against the lane reconfiguration becoming permanent
• Some businesses did not feel benefit during the previous trial

What’s Different Now

• Construction of Hale Avenue Extension is underway 
• The City has adopted Vision Zero policies that prioritize safety, creating livable streets, and seek to eliminate traffic fatalities 
• Downtown improvements are complete, including Parking Structure on 4th Street
• New private development downtown – both businesses and residents
• Safety improvements have been made: 4^th Street signal, flashing lights at 3^rd, soon to be at 1^st and 5^th Streets
• COVID-19 and the use of outdoor spaces Downtown are no longer a luxury; instead, they are a requirement for businesses to be successful

What’s Not Different

• Hwy 101 is not widened, nor is it envisioned to be so in the immediate future
• Pass through traffic is unknown post COVID-19

2020 Meetings

• June 3, 2020 City Council Meeting
• May 28, 2020 Town Hall Meeting

Background Documents

• Vision Zero Morgan Hill 
• Final Complete Streets Staff Report – Report Only (PDF) – Report with All Attachments (PDF) (Large File)
• Monterey Road Complete Street Performance Monitoring Report – Alta Planning (PDF) (Large File)
• Downtown Placemaking Investment Strategy (PDF)
• Business Vitality Survey (PDF)
• City Business Exit Survey (PDF)
• City Resident Exit Survey (PDF)
• Chamber of Commerce Survey (PDF)
• 2019 Cut Through Traffic Study (PDF)
• Morgan Hill RDA Report on the Oja de Agua Community Development Plan (PDF)