Salinas identifies Traffic Signal Priority List

The City of Salinas recently approved the 2017 Traffic Signal Priority List, which identified the top four intersections for a traffic signal. The suggest intersections came from public request, traffic studies and city leaders.

Traffic planners looked at five factors when deciding which intersections had a critical need for a traffic signal. Those factors are traffic volumes, the number of crashes, distance to the nearest signalized intersection, traffic speed and all-way stop controls.

Based on that information, priority locations include Boronda at Sanborn Roads, Williams Road at Garner Avenue, Constitution Blvd at Las Casitas Drive and Alvin at Linwood Drives.

Boronda Road carries more than 10,000 cars a day. Within the last five years, there have been four crashes where it intersects with Sanborn.

According to the City of Salinas, the intersection of Williams and Garner has seen nine crashes in five years, including one involving a pedestrian.

“I think it’s important for the safety of the children and the public,” Eucebio Rodriguez said. “It’s important that they put it, I think.”

Each traffic signal costs $500,000 and would be paid for with Measure X funding. The four lights should be up and running in the next two years.

Other stoplights are planned for around Salinas, but those are being paid for by grants or developers. That includes a light at Main Street and Cherokee Drive, which would be paid for by Harden Ranch Plaza, another at Main Street at Navajo Drive, which would be paid for by a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant. An Active Transportation Program Grant would pay for a third light at Alvin Street at El Dorado.

The last time a report like this was done was back in 2007. It identified Laurel Drive at St. Edwards as an area that needs a stoplight. Construction on that light is slated for this year.

According to the city, some intersections, like North Main and Lamar Streets, where a mother and her daughter were hit, are not good locations for stoplights.

“In this situation where you have two signals already (North Main at Boronda and North Main at Bolivar) bracketing this intersection, another signal in that location is too close and it would create additional congestion in the area,” Transportation Manager James Serrano said.