Madison/Herrmann/Larkin Intersection Safety Project Halted
Summary
A quick-build safety project near Monterey High hit a wall of neighborhood complaints about lack of outreach. The council kept the grant money but added outreach, a grant extension, a later build date, and a required return for final approval.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 22, 2026.
Impact analysis
$140,306.50 contract plus $130,000 grant funds; about $29,000 in design costs already spent.
Monterey High students crossing the intersection, if the design works after outreach.
Nearby residents who say they were never consulted and fear added congestion.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Planning Commission Meeting — September 22, 2026
Chair Latasa asked about a recently withdrawn public-works traffic-calming proposal near Monterey High School on Madison Street. Staff explained it was a quick-build grant project that never required planning commission review and the council ultimately declined to act.
Council Regular Meeting — August 4, 2026
The proposed quick-build traffic circle near Monterey High drew overwhelming neighborhood opposition over school-hour gridlock and safety claims. The council rejected the bids and grant funds 3-2 and sent staff back to the drawing board with the school district.
Council Regular Meeting — July 21, 2026
A resident sharply criticized the proposed quick-build traffic circle, saying the neighborhood opposes it and that Councilmember Garcia advanced it without constituent safety requests or a traffic study. The mayor and staff took heat for the outreach process.
Council Regular Meeting — July 7, 2026
Neighbors packed the chamber — most opposed — arguing the traffic circle does nothing about school-drop-off gridlock, that outreach never happened before the contract was awarded, and that $175,000 shouldn't be spent now. The council tied 2-2 on reconsideration, so the project continues; a community meeting is set for July 9 and the council gets final say before construction.
Council Regular Meeting — June 16, 2026
A quick-build safety project near Monterey High hit a wall of neighborhood complaints about lack of outreach. The council kept the grant money but added outreach, a grant extension, a later build date, and a required return for final approval.
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