The long-awaited Murray Street Bridge project will break ground next Monday, March 24, bringing significant traffic impacts to the crosstown artery. Here is the plan and schedule thus far.
Carmageddon
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Carmageddon: Mountain roads will see traffic impact from pipeline projects aiming to improve reliability, water sharing
Two concurrent projects will affect traffic along Graham Hill Road and other roads in the Scotts Valley area as crews relocate, replace and construct pipelines in an effort to connect the public water agencies in Santa Cruz County and ensure reliability of the water supply.
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Carmageddon: RTC hosting two upcoming rail trail-related info sessions
Two upcoming information sessions on some of the major components of the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission’s Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail Project vision will give residents a chance to look at the latest on trail alignments, bridge replacements and preliminary cost figures as the agency moves closer to completion of its project concept report.
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Carmageddon: Soquel Drive, Green Valley Road projects remain on track for late-spring completion, despite some weather delays
Two big Santa Cruz County projects installing and improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are still on track for a late spring completion time, but one of them is slightly delayed due to weather-related setbacks following the atmospheric river earlier in February.
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Carmageddon: City of Santa Cruz begins pre-construction work on Murray Street Bridge project
After years of planning, the Murray Street Bridge project is finally in its pre-construction stage as crews take the first steps toward fully breaking ground. The city is aiming for an early to mid-March start date, and hopes to finish up between fall 2027 and January 2028.
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Carmageddon: County closely eyeing federal grants under new administration, even with work under contract
As expected, Santa Cruz County public works has little clarity surrounding how future federal funding could be affected under the Trump administration as fast, frequent changes to the way grants are evaluated continue to sow uncertainty. A county spokesperson said that uncertainty even bleeds into work already under contract.
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Carmageddon: Full West Cliff reopening pushed to late spring as crews wrap up major projects
West Cliff Drive might be fully open by April as crews put the finishing touches on a number of major projects, including a sea cave that had formed under the roadway and a damaged storm drain farther west on Santa Cruz’s iconic coastal road. City of Santa Cruz Public Works Assistant Director Kevin Crossley told Lookout that the federal funding freeze of last week has not affected work so far, but that the city might need to reevaluate how it frames its projects in applications going forward.
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Carmageddon: Bay Street improvement project introduces dedicated bike lanes — but raises parking concerns
An open house for a sprawling makeover of the Bay Street corridor on Santa Cruz’s Westside drew some 50 people last week. While the project would bring major additions to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along the busy street, some residents are worried about the potential loss of parking spaces.
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Carmageddon: When will Santa Cruz Metro’s new hydrogen buses be road-ready?
The 53 new hydrogen-fuel cell buses will slowly trickle in to Santa Cruz Metro throughout the year, but each must go through a testing process before it is ready to hit the road. The agency is also working out plans for fueling stations and maintenance facility upgrades necessary for the new vehicles.
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Carmageddon: Caltrans seeks public input on $20 million plan to modernize Highway 9
Highway 9 will be getting a makeover in the coming years, as Caltrans and the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission begin the first steps in bringing numerous infrastructure upgrades to the main mountain highway. The first public input session will take place on Wednesday at Felton Community Hall.