Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) recently conducted the Peninsula Area Service Study in order to better serve its Monterey Peninsula area customers. The study involved passenger surveys, stakeholder interviews and comprehensive data analysis which resulted in planning better routing and schedules for the most efficient use of MST’s transit resources. The proposed changes are as follows:

Line 1 Asolimar-Lovers Point – End at Lighthouse and Fountain in Pacific Grove and run every 60 minutes. Operate new Line 1 Express every 60 minutes using a small 17-passenger van and serve Asilomar and Lovers Point on all trips, stopping only at Lighthouse and Hoffman and at the Aquarium in New Monterey. Between Eardley Avenue and Downtown Pacific Grove, operate on Laurel instead of Lighthouse to serve the Blind Center and its newly expanding programs all day.

Line 2 Pacific Grove – Expand service to every 60 minutes. Reroute off of Wave Street and onto Lighthouse Avenue, together with Line 1 providing 30-minute service along Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey all day.

Line 4 Carmel Rancho – Delete.

Line 5 Carmel Rancho – End at 6 th and Mission in Downtown Carmel, and eliminate service to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Line 11 Edgewater-Carmel Express –Run every 60 minutes all day long and serve Del Monte Center after 9 a.m.

Carmel Rancho Shuttle – Operate new Carmel Rancho Shuttle using a small 17-passenger van every 30 minutes between Downtown Carmel and Carmel Rancho, alternating routing on each trip between San Carlos (currently served by Line 4) and Monte Verde/Carmelo (currently served by Line 5).

Line 16 Edgewater-Marina – Run every 60 minutes seven days a week, ending at 11 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and at 7 p.m. on Sundays. Expand service as far south as Monterey, running express on Highway 1 between Monterey and Edgewater. Depart Edgewater along the current Line 16 routing. Once at CSUMB, travel out Intergarrison Road to Schoonover Park, travel through the Preston Park Loop and go down Reservation Road to Marina Transit Station. After MTS, continue down Reservation Road across Del Monte to serve the new Wal-Mart and then return to MTS. The portion of the Line 17 route from Monterey Road, through Coe Avenue, by Fitch Middle School and up General Jim Moore Blvd., would no longer be served.

Line 17 Edgewater-Marina – Delete.

Line 24 Carmel Valley-Grapevine Express - Operate all day long between Monterey Transit Plaza and Carmel Valley instead of only during peak times, seven days a week.

Line 27 Monterey-Watsonville – Improve frequency from every 3 hours to every 2 hours. End at Marina instead of Monterey. Serve western and central Marina residential neighborhoods currently served by Lines 16 and 17.

Line 54 Monterey-Airport Business Center – Begin and end at Edgewater Transit Exchange instead of Monterey Transit Plaza. Serve Ryan Ranch Business Park, as well as CTB/McGraw-Hill and the MST offices, on the way to and from Salinas.

DART Monterey Peninsula – Expand DART zone to serve Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and La Mesa military housing. With the addition of all-day Line 11 service, reduce DART zone in Seaside.

Five public hearings have been scheduled to hear comments and suggestions from interested parties:

Monday, September 11 at 6:00 p.m.
My Own Private Liaison
455 Reservation Road, Suite I, Marina

Tuesday, September 12 at 4:00 p.m.
Carmel-by-the-Sea City Hall
Monte Verde between Ocean & 7 th Aves., Carmel-by-the-Sea

Wednesday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Boys & Girls Club
1332 La Salle Avenue, Seaside

Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Pacific Grove City Hall
300 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove

Monday, September 18 at 10:15 a.m.
Monterey-Salinas Transit
One Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey

Written comments are also welcome and must be received by MST no later than Friday, September 15, 2006. Send letters to Monterey-Salinas Transit Board of Directors, One Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey, CA 93940 or email to mst@mst.org or fax to (831) 899-3954.