Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail–and Where to Bike Now

11/29/11 update:  Public workshops Dec 13-15 in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Davenport.

7/25/11 update:

Ribbon cutting ceremony for Beach Range Road segment on 8/31/11.

What’s ahead for Monterey Bay region’s bikeways?  And how to get around now….

There’s so much beauty in the Monterey Bay region!  Just wish there were more miles of the bikeways not requiring constant vigilance about motorists!

Bikeways connecting Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties

Above Elkhorn Slough,  Santa Cruz County resident Diego Tapia returns from a trip to his workplace, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Gosh, where is a cyclist gonna ride! It’s supposed to be safer–not to mention the law–to bike with traffic.  Regardless, on these lanes of Highway 1 where cars whiz by so fast, Diego isn’t alone in making a judgment call:  for that uphill stretch, many cyclists feel more at ease traveling as if a pedestrian (against traffic).

Like Diego (though not as often as he does!), I biked from Santa Cruz County to Monterey County as a Santa Cruz resident in years past.  And like Diego, I’d have loved a safer stretch of bikeways connecting our counties.  Hold that thought!  It’s coming….

Thank you to the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission for this April 2011 fact sheet providing updates on this project.  And thank you to Congressman Sam Farr for championing this trail.

The vision for the trail is to have a multi-use system of bicycle and pedestrian facilities stretching from Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, Monterey County to the San Mateo/Santa Cruz County line.  Check out the fact sheet to learn more.

Meanwhile, where to bike now

1. Where to bike in Monterey County – route tips
2. Tips for serious cyclists in Monterey County – routes and more
3. Bike maps and more – for Monterey Bay Tri-County region and some other nearby counties
4. En espanol – includes above bike maps, plus some other California bike maps en espanol

Also see Signs of a Bicycling-Friendly Monterey County.

Bikeways defined

Class 1 Bikeway (Bike Path):  Provides a completely separated right-of-way for the exclusive use of bicyclists and pedestrians.

Class 2 Bikeway (Bike Lane):  Provides a striped lane for one-way bike travel on a street or highway.

Class 3 Bikeway (Bike Route):  Provides connections to either Class 1 or Class 2 facilities/bikeways.  Class 3 facilities have no special lane markings, and bicycles share the roadway with motor vehicles.

These definitions provided courtesy of this Monterey County Planning Department glossary:  http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/planning/major/eastgarrison/SP/1440SP_07_Glossary.pdf

Existing bikeways:  This is the life!

Ah….now here’s a super bikeway: An off-road bike/multi-use path in Monterey County, traveled by the Harrison family AKA Pedouins, who were en route from Kentucky to Alaska.

Photo of the Harrison family courtesy of Steve E. Anderson.

Update:  Offer your feedback to TAMC

The Transportation Agency of Monterey County has released this May 2011 document and requests public feedback:  Monterey County 2011 Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

A Class 1 bikeway stretch of the 29-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Trail - courtesy of Leo Kodl