Santa Cruz Highway 1 Bridge Tour

Join transportation experts and professionals to tour the bicycle/pedestrian overcrossings at Chanticleer Avenue and Capitola Avenue over Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County. Hear about the project’s goals, public engagement strategy, design innovations, and lessons learned. You have the choice of bringing your own bike or renting a bike and touring the bike facility, or riding in a van/bus to see the overcrossings. The group will then convene at a nearby food establishment for an in-depth discussion about the project.

Project Summary:

The Highway 1 Auxiliary Lane and Bus-on-Shoulder Project, which includes the Chanticleer Avenue and Capitola Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossings, was designed to improve safety, reduce congestion, and enhance multimodal connectivity along a critical corridor in Santa Cruz County. The centerpiece, a 780-foot cast-in-place bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing at Chanticleer Avenue, offers a safe, dedicated crossing over Highway 1, bypassing high-traffic interchanges and improving connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians. The project was awarded the “Innovative Transportation Solution of the Year” by the WTS San Francisco Chapter in 2026.

Speakers:

Sarah Christensen, Executive Director, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC)

Sarah Christensen joined the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) as Senior Transportation Engineer in 2017 and was appointed as the Executive Director in September 2024. Her accomplishments with the SCCRTC include managing the $350 million Highway 1 Auxiliary Lanes & Bus-on-Shoulder Program, leading the implementation of the first permanent bus-on-shoulder facility in the state of California, and developing and delivering the equity-focused Watsonville to Santa Cruz Multimodal Corridor Program of innovative and sustainable transportation projects along major transportation routes through Santa Cruz County. As Executive Director of the SCCRTC, she is tasked with leading the planning, funding, development and delivery of sustainable transportation solutions for the Santa Cruz County region.

Shannon Munz, Communications Specialist, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC)

Shannon Munz is a communications professional with over 15 years of experience in public sector communications, specializing in transportation and community engagement. As Communications Specialist for the SCCRTC, she leads strategic communications, media relations, and public outreach and engagement for major transportation initiatives.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 17th. Limited tickets available. 

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

The biking tour will meet at Beer30 in 2504 S Main St, Soquel, CA at 2PM and the group will return to Beer30 at 6PM.

Bikes will be sponsored by B-Cycle but feel free to bring your own bike if you'd like. There will also be limited seats in a Pedi-Cab.

Please submit accommodation requests by September 17th.

Tickets are transferable but not refundable.

If you have questions, please contact Christina Watson at (Christina@tamcmonterey.org).