Attend an Open House to Learn about the Local SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project

Your Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce supports the SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project, which would create a dedicated bus lane adjacent to Highway 1 between Marina and Seaside to allow commuters an opportunity to avoid the substantial backups that occur each workday on this stretch of highway. The most recent statistics available from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that 88% of people who work in the City of Monterey live elsewhere. View interactive Census Map.

This project is a partnership of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) and Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST). They are hosting an open house on Wednesday, August 31 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Carpenter’s Union Hall, 910 2nd Avenue in Marina, to update community members on the status of this project. For more information or to comment on this project, go to this website.

The project was unanimously approved by the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) Board of Directors in June 2021 despite efforts by opponents to undermine the vote with objections based on ambiguous legal technicalities. These parties are now trying to stop this project with lawsuits claiming that environmental review was inadequate under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Your Chamber understands the frustrations about traffic and is aware that some people in our community see alternative solutions, such as contracting the hospitality industry and closing the military bases. Obviously these ideas are contrary to the Chamber’s mission: "support member success and promote the regional economy." You are welcome to contact President & CEO Monica Lal at monica@montereychamber.com or at (831) 648-5350 if you have comments on this.