Quick Take
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission needs to cover a $15 million funding gap to pay for the passenger rail project’s environmental work. It will turn to state and federal officials to find funding for the next step.
As the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) chugs down the track toward its ambitious passenger rail project, it’s grappling with a $15 million shortfall for the project’s environmental work. At its meeting on Thursday, the commission will consider seeking state and federal funds to make up the difference.
According to a staff report, there are few competitive state and federal grant opportunities for pre-construction work, so staff have recommended asking the region’s elected officials in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento for “special earmark opportunities” instead. This allows legislators to allocate “community project funding” through congressionally directed spending in the federal budget. Members of Congress can submit up to 15 requests.
In this case, the requests would be tied to Federal Railroad Administration programs that support rail projects, because any request has to be tied to an eligible federal program.
Two commissioners, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley and District 3 County Supervisor Justin Cummings, requested that the commission ask state Sen. John Laird to earmark funding in the next state budget for the passenger rail project’s environmental work.
The deadline to send a request to Laird is Friday. Deadlines for federal earmark requests vary depending on the representative — Friday for Sen. Adam Schiff’s office, March 11 for Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office and March 13 for Sen. Alex Padilla’s office.
E-bike regulations in focus at latest Santa Cruz City Council meeting
E-bikes are growing in popularity to the point where about every other bicycle on the street is equipped with pedal assist and maybe even a twist throttle. As the types of bikes evolve, so are state and local government regulations for the vehicles.
The Santa Cruz City Council is looking into setting a minimum rider age of at least 10 years old for Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, which both come with pedal assist and can reach up to 20 mph. At a meeting last week, councilmembers talked about finding partners to do safety outreach programs and exploring what other cities are doing to keep young bicyclists safe.
City staff is also expected to come back to the council with a letter of support for Assembly Bill 2346, which would allow local agencies to set speed limits for bikes on sidewalks, multiuse paths and separated bike lanes. If the bill fails, the city will consider local bike speed limits and increasing fines for bike riding on sidewalks, which is already prohibited.
Schools contend with another e-bike danger: Fires
On Wednesday, the battery of an e-bike parked behind the Soquel High School gymnasium ignited, according to an email from the principal to parents and caregivers.
A gym teacher noticed the flames and called the office, wrote principal Julia Hodges. Some staff members used a fire extinguisher to contain the blaze, while others called 911. The fire was put out without causing damage to any structure and there were no injuries.
Latest news
This week, pay particular attention to:
- Tree work, pavement repair and utility work are shutting down one lane of Highway 9 between Camp Sycamore Road and Rincon Creek Bridge, Glengarry Road and Gail Drive, Hihn Street and San Lorenzo Valley Elementary, Arboleda Way/Highland and Woodland Drive, Grove Street and South Street, Riverdale Park and Monaco Lane, and Kings Creek Road and Old County Highway from Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
- Paving is shutting down one lane of northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Park Avenue and Bay Avenue overnight between 9 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. from Monday through Friday.
- 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.
- The installation of the Newell Creek Pipeline on Graham Hill Road between Summit Avenue and Lockewood Lane is taking place on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and could cause delays of up to five minutes.
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