County Supervisors approved spending an additional $261,000 on non-vehicle roads projects and threw an additional sum towards the eventual building of a separated bike/pedestrian path connecting Morro Bay and Cayucos along Hwy 1.
Supervisors made the adjustments to the annual roads budget this year allocating monies towards a linear park in Los Osos, a pedestrian path in Oceano, and a crosswalk in Santa Margarita. Monies for such projects, comes through the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, which is the gatekeeper agency for State and Federal roads funding.
The changes included allocating $70,000 for the “El Moro Pedestrian Enhancements Project,” which will improve a dedicated walking path along El Moro Avenue in Los Osos, between 8th and 9th Streets.
It’s the third grant for the project with $100,000 previously allocated from the “Safe Routes to School” funding and $40,000 from “Urban State Highway Account” monies.
The Supervisors approved $200,000 towards developing a pedestrian path in Oceano that leads to the town’s elementary school, along Paso Robles Street (from 15th to 17th). The County had previously allocated $200,000 of Safe Routes to Schools monies for the project.
And they will take back $9,000 they’d previously put towards improving a crosswalk on Hwy 58 at Santa Maria Avenue in Santa Margarita. Through negotiations with Caltrans and SLOCOG, the County was able to get the State to pony up for this.
And Supervisors also dedicated $12,600 towards the “Morro Bay to Cayucos Connector Trail Project,” a “multimodal off-highway trail connecting the communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos,” according to the County.
The Connector Trail would run up the west side of Hwy 1 along the bluff top overlooking Dog Beach from Studio Drive in Cayucos to Toro Lane and the North Point Natural Area in Morro Bay.
The Connector Trail already has all the permits it needs and just awaits construction funding.
The County had previously put $15,000 in “Regional State Highway Accounts” (RSHA) monies towards getting an “Active Transportation Program” (ATP) Cycle 4 grant” for what has been estimated to be a $3 million project.
The most recent $12,600 will be used to pay for applying for an ATP Cycle 5 grant.
