A stretch of Monterey Road downtown could get a new look soon if
a study on traffic calming comes out the way the city expects.
Because the nearby Butterfield Boulevard now reaches from Cochrane
Road to Tennant Avenue, giving motorists a faster alternative
through town, the council is looking at narrowing Monterey Road to
one lane each way.
A stretch of Monterey Road downtown could get a new look soon if a study on traffic calming comes out the way the city expects.
Because the nearby Butterfield Boulevard now reaches from Cochrane Road to Tennant Avenue, giving motorists a faster alternative through town, the council is looking at narrowing Monterey Road to one lane each way.
Similar narrowing has been found to work in other small cities and the council is eager to see if it will work here. Calmer traffic could make downtown more pedestrian friendly, provide more on-street parking and allow restaurants to expand their sidewalk seating areas, a move that officials say works in Paris, San Luis Obispo and other pedestrian-oriented cities.
Mayor Dennis Kennedy said he favors narrowing the lanes.
“The sooner we can get this done, the better,” Kennedy said. “It would allow restaurants to move out (on the sidewalks).”
The public will have a chance to weigh in on the idea during a workshop to be scheduled in October or November, during the public review and comment period for the EIS (Expanded Initial Study on traffic downtown). The EIS is an updated study to an outdated one included in the Downtown Plan.
Councilman Greg Sellers questioned Planning Manager Jim Rowe as Rowe briefly explained the study and possible benefits at Wednesday’s council meeting.
“What would it cost and where would the funds come from,” Sellers asked.
Rowe said the final EIS report would include cost estimates for lane closures and other traffic calming methods.
City Manager Ed Tewes said the cost would depend on the size of the project.
“The Redevelopment Agency budget has set aside $100,000 to implement traffic calming on Monterey,” Tewes said. “This is a very minimal amount – only enough for striping and other small projects.”
If lane narrowing proves to be unlikely, the study will present other methods of slowing down and thinning out the horde of cars downtown.
Details: www.morganhill.ca.gov or 779-7271.
