Ongoing

Monterey-Salinas Transit SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project

The Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project is a transformative $78 million investment in public transportation designed to enhance mobility and sustainability throughout Monterey County. By improving the efficiency and reliability of bus service, this project supports the region’s long-term transportation goals.

Harris & Associates is providing comprehensive pre-construction and construction support services to help advance the project. Our work includes participating in project meetings, assisting with development of the Construction Manager/General Contractor contract (a delivery method that brings the contractor on early to inform design decisions), coordinating with project stakeholders, and delivering environmental support services to keep the project on schedule and compliant with federal funding requirements.

Core Elements

Harris’ scope of environmental and construction support services includes:

Tracking biological, paleontological, and cultural compliance requirements
Ensuring compliance with standards outlined in the MMRP, Biological Opinion, Conditions of Approval, and Coastal Development Permit
Scheduling and coordinating biological, cultural, and paleontological staff for focused surveys and monitoring
Consulting with regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and coordinating with subject matter experts to support USFWS in the administrative review of the Biological Opinion
Managing logistics for environmental monitoring and survey personnel
Conducting focused rare plant surveys and mapping
Performing pre-construction surveys for sensitive species, including the Monterey dusky-footed woodrat, sensitive plants, northern California legless lizards, and nesting birds
Performing seed collection for Monterey spineflower
Providing biological compliance monitoring
Conducting daily inspections (and documentation) of contractor activities for conformance with project plans and specifications