Ciclovía Salinas is the only youth-led open streets initiative and the first open streets initiative in Monterey County. Open Streets initiatives temporarily close streets to auto traffic so they can be used for biking, walking and other physically active uses. A diverse coalition of individuals and organizations team up in a variety of ways to make Ciclovía Salinas possible and successful.
With 3,000 certified or affiliated gang members in Salinas, improving safety by reducing gang violence is a top priority for the city. In January of 2009, Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) emerged from two like-minded organizations: the City of Salinas’ Community Safety Alliance and the Violence Prevention Subcommittee of the Monterey County Children’s Council.