Quick Take
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission accepted the Rural Highways Safety Plan to improve safety along the county’s more remote highways. The commission is also seeking input on a name for a proposed nonprofit subsidiary that would operate the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line.
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) unanimously approved the Rural Highways Safety Plan at its Thursday meeting. The project will identify crash patterns and locations and propose improvements to reduce serious and fatal accidents.
The plan’s main goal is to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2050 on highways in the county’s rural areas, such as the Santa Cruz Mountains, north of Watsonville and on the North Coast.
RTC staff have been working with transportation consulting firm Fehr & Peers to analyze crash data from 2014 to 2023, excluding collisions that involved only property damage. RTC planner Brianna Goodman said the lengthy public input period included contributions from business leaders, advocacy and community groups, first responders and members of the public.
During a presentation Thursday, Goodman discussed a few focus areas. Highway 9 in Boulder Creek, Goodman said, has a high rate of pedestrian fatalities. The plan proposes reducing speeds with curb extensions, new medians, flashing beacons and crosswalks with better visibility, and dedicated bike facilities.
Highway 152 in South County is another priority. Goodman said providing better multimodal access with dedicated bike facilities or a multi-use trail would suit the area well, as it is near St. Francis High School. Improvements similar to those recommended for Highway 9, such as sidewalk gap closures and pedestrian beacons or traffic signals, would help ensure safety as well.
A staff report said the plan puts the county in a better position to pursue state and federal safety funding, and Goodman said that there is about $10 million in 2016 Measure D funds to use as a local match for Highway 9 projects.
Commissioner Steve Clark said that at the recent Youth Civics Summit, students from Watsonville, Pajaro and the San Lorenzo Valley all said that traffic safety on their commutes to and from school are an issue they want to see government officials take seriously: “This is at the top of mind for our youth.”
Naming a new railroad subsidiary
The RTC is also forming its own railroad subsidiary to manage freight property rights along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. In other words, this subsidiary is intended to serve as the common carrier. The move comes after the RTC terminated its contract with Minnesota-based Progressive Rail earlier this year.
According to a staff report, the new entity would operate passenger and freight rail along the line and would also assist in the implementation of the passenger rail project. It would be a nonprofit 501(c)(4), which means that it is a “social welfare organization” rather than a 501(c)(3), which is a charitable organization. The commissioners may decide to appoint themselves as the entity’s board.
The RTC is seeking public input on the name of this new subsidiary. Those interested may complete a brief survey to assist in the process. Responses are due by March 16.
Latest news
This week, pay particular attention to:
- Tree work, gas line work, and utility work are shutting down one lane of Highway 9 between the Henry Cowell Redwoods Vista Point and Glengarry Road, Hihn Street and San Lorenzo Boulevard, Graham Hill/Bennett Street and the Fall Creek bridge, San Lorenzo Way and the Fall Creek bridge, El Solyo Heights Drive and Willow Brook/Locust Drive, Glen Arbor Road and Ben Lomond Toll Road, Pike Road and Western Avenue, Bear Creek Road and Riverdale Park, Riverdale Park and Monaco Lane, Spring Creek Road and Riverside Drive and Pool Drive and Old County Highway from Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Electrical work is shutting down the off-ramp to northbound Highway 1 at Airport Boulevard in Watsonville and the on-ramps to northbound Highway 1 at 41st Avenue in Soquel between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Monday through Friday.
- Tree work is shutting down one lane of northbound Highway 17 between Granite Creek Road and upper Glenwood Drive from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Guardrail work is shutting down the auxiliary lane and right shoulder on southbound Highway 1 between Soquel Drive and 41st Avenue until March 23.
- Emergency sewer work in Soquel Village could occasionally block access to driveways, sidewalks, on-street parking and interrupt sewer service on weekdays until June 30, on Soquel Drive, Porter Street and Main Street. Work on Soquel Drive will be overnight from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Porter and Main streets. Other, shorter-duration potholing on Porter, Main and Center streets and Daubenbiss Avenue will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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