A major $1.8 million project will improve traffic flow and safety in Monterey’s biggest and most popular parking lot. Starting November 19, the City of Monterey will begin construction on the Waterfront Attendant Lot #1 between Washington Street and Old Fisherman’s Wharf. NEWS RELEASE IN PDF

For the first time in its 169 year history, Colton Hall is accessible to visitors with special needs. The City of Monterey has completed a $353,000 improvement project, which includes a reconstruction of the back stairs and deck, a new stair lift to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access to the second floor, a new ADA compliant restroom that can accommodate a wheelchair, an access ramp in the rear courtyard, and an adjacent ADA parking area. News Release in PDF

Measure P funded road resurfacing work is happening on major streets including Del Monte Avenue, Pacific Street, Camino Aguajito and Camino El Estero. Locals are encouraged to avoid those streets and instead travel across town via Franklin or Pearl, Munras to Abrego, or Figueroa or Sloat during this work. Crews will do their best to minimize traffic impacts by performing some of the work at night and by avoiding peak commute hours as much as possible. Drivers should expect traffic control and use extra caution in construction zones.

The Cooper Molera Adobe project has been nominated for a Route Fifty Navigator Award, honoring “innovation in best practices in state and local government.” Fifty finalists were named for their “demonstrated abilities to implement a great idea that improves public sector services and the communities they serve.” NEWS RELEASE IN PDF

Measure P, the one percent special tax approved by 74% of the voters in November 2014, and in effect from April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2019, is now into the final year of implementation. For the past two years, the City of Monterey has published an annual report to let the community know the progress of work that’s been accomplished. The third year cumulative report is now available in print at public city offices, and alongside past reports online at www.monterey.org/fixingstreets.

The City of Monterey will be pruning trees and shrubs along the Fremont Street medians on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 8 and 9. On Tuesday, the eastbound center lane (Camino El Estero towards Camino Aguajito) will be closed. Work will continue on Wednesday, with the westbound center lane closed (Camino Aguajito towards Camino El Estero). The work will occur between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Take alternate routes to avoid traffic delays. NEWS RELEASE IN PDF

Thank you to all of the volunteers who came out to our Arbor Day event! We hosted two volunteer tree planting projects at Quarry Park and Laguna Grande Park last Friday. We planted Sycamores, Buckeyes, Western Redbud, Monterey Pine and Big Leaf Maples. Monterey celebrated being an Arbor Day Foundation "Tree City USA" for 36 years. More info: https://www.monterey.org/Portals/0/Newsroom/2018/18_0423-Arbor-Day-CelebrationNR.pdf?ver=2018-04-23-093715-837

Accessibility improvements began this week to historic Colton Hall, where California’s constitution was written and signed in 1849. Home to a museum upstairs and the Planning and Museums and Cultural Arts offices downstairs, the upgrades include reconstructing the back stairs and deck and adding a vertical stair lift to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access to the second floor, replacing the current two restrooms with one ADA compliant restroom that will accommodate a wheelchair, adding an access ramp in the rear courtyard, and configuring an adjacent ADA parking area.