Explore Merrimac event will provide a peek at Costa Mesa road’s possible biking and walking future

Costa Mesa residents are invited Saturday to get an up-close look at potential road features intended to make it easier and safer to walk and bike along Merrimac Way.

Explore Merrimac will allow the community to test and give thoughts on possible changes to the roadway, such as the addition of a protected bike lane and new sidewalk seating.

The event, which runs from noon to 4 p.m., also will feature a bike workshop, bicycle repair stations, music, giveaways, food trucks and more.

Merrimac is primarily a four-lane street that runs along the southern edge of Orange Coast College between Fairview Road and just beyond Harbor Boulevard.

“This street is an important connector to Orange Coast College and the campus bike loop, and these potential improvements would improve both accessibility and safety,” Mayor Sandy Genis said in a statement this week.

One lane of Merrimac will remain open in each direction during the event, according to city spokesman Tony Dodero.

Explore Merrimac is part of the Southern California Assn. of Governments’ “Go Human” campaign, which seeks to encourage area residents “to use human-powered transportation and change how we think about others on the road,” according to the campaign’s website.

“Making it safer to bike and walk by investing in active transportation infrastructure has a transformative effect on local communities,” association President Margaret Finlay said in a statement. “These are small investments that help increase access to education, jobs and local businesses and improve public health.”

For more information about Explore Merrimac, visit gohumansocal.org.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney