Salinas receives $16 million to improve safety on Williams Road.

The City of Salinas has secured $16 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the city announced on on Dec. 13. The money will go toward implementing needed safety measures on the Willams Road Safe Street Corridor Project.

The Williams Road corridor is located in East Salinas and its infrastructure is not adequate for bicyclists and pedestrians. This is an issue because of the schools and community spaces are on or near that street, including Alisal High School, Cesar Chavez Library, Alisal Family Resource Center and Alisal Community School. It’s also close to fire stations, businesses and shopping centers. 

From 2017 to 2021, 74 traffic collisions were reported on Williams Road; 11 involved pedestrians. The project will address speeding issues and improve traffic signals. 

Infrastructure upgrades include a single lane roundabout on E. Market Street, curb extensions and high visibility crosswalks to increase pedestrian safety, improved lighting in the area and new traffic signals. The improvements are based on Salinas’s Vision Zero Action Plan, a strategy that seeks to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries and increase safety and mobility for all, including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

In its budget, the City of Salinas allocated $7.8 million for street repairs for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. That amount will be divided equally among the city’s six political districts, each represented by a different city council member. Each district will receive $1.3 million for road repairs, which is insufficient for long-term road projects. This money is just a fraction of the estimated $1.3 billion the city needs to repair its roads—full repairs to Abbott Street alone are estimated at $8 million.

Many streets are covered with potholes and lines have faded. In the past five years, road conditions have worsened, according to a Public Works report. There are multiple reasons cited, including lack of funding, a staff shortage and the winter storms of 2022-23. These factors “have caused many of the City’s roadways to require costly and extensive reconstruction,” a report reads

On Sept. 12, the city council approved a prioritization road plan and Abbott Street is number one on the list for repairs in District 3. The street is also a candidate for a full pavement restoration project in Salinas’ Pavement Management Plan.