Matt Farrell’s recent Lookout op-ed is misleading and fiscally unrealistic, argues Will Mayall. He believes Farrell bases his argument on hope, not facts. He also criticizes Farrell’s continued insistence on the 2022 defeat of Measure D, insisting that voters did not OK a train system — only to keep existing code unchanged.
Will Mayall
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Why won’t the dream of a train die?
Santa Cruz leaders have considered building a train from Watsonville to Davenport for decades, and the Regional Transportation Commission has repeatedly approved studies on cost and feasibility. Measure D (2022) was among the costliest and most contentious ballot initiatives in recent memory and saw 70% of voters reject a plan prioritizing a trail. More than two years after that vote, the RTC is waiting for the results of a $20 million environmental impact study on the feasibility of a rail. Will Mayall questions the logic of all the money and time poured into the idea of rail service: “At some point, we have to ask: Are we clinging to this train dream because it’s the best solution, or because we’re reluctant to admit it isn’t?”