The Monterey County Board of Supervisors endorsed a community‑driven set of Safe Routes to School projects in North Monterey County that steered nearly $1.02 million in improvements decided through a participatory budgeting process.

Transportation Agency staff and local residents described a year‑long steering committee process that produced a ballot of projects for five subareas across North County: Castroville, Prunedale, Las Lomas/Pajaro, and Echo Valley/Elkhorn. The Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) provided $1.0 million in Regional Surface Transportation Program reserve funds for the contest; the county agreed to supply about $21,500 from existing signage/striping funding to cover identified overages.

Steering committee members and community volunteers ran outreach and voting. Project totals: the final approved package totals $1,021,500. Projects on school property total $218,500; county‑road projects total $781,500. Voter turnout was 999 ballots (mostly paper); ballots were available in English and Spanish.

Selected projects by community (summary): Castroville — crosswalk visibility enhancements, curb extensions and flashing lights near Castroville Elementary and nearby Catholic Church; Pajaro/Las Lomas — curb extensions and crossing improvements, rapid flashing beacons and bus shelters near Hall Elementary and Olonia/Assumption Church crosswalks; Prunedale — rapid flashing beacons and updated signage/pavement markings near Prunedale Elementary and driveway improvements; Echo Valley/Elkhorn — smaller on‑street safety projects plus use of remaining funds as matching funds toward a feasibility study for a roundabout at Castro Boulevard and Elkhorn Road.

Steering committee members and staff emphasized the participatory budgeting model allowed residents to identify and prioritize safety projects that matter locally. "This process is a democratic way in which community members get to decide how public funds are spent," TAMC planner Amelia Conlon told the board. Committee participants described door‑to‑door outreach, flyers, bilingual videos and school‑district engagement to reach families.

The board unanimously supported the project list and authorized county staff to schedule implementation of county roadway projects. TAMC's board will consider project agreements next week; the North Monterey County School District already approved the projects located on school property.

Why it matters: community‑driven planning and focused investment aim to reduce student pedestrian risk and improve access near schools across a geographically dispersed rural district. Residents said the process built trust and produced a list of quickly fundable projects to improve safety.