Several regional transit commissioners balked Thursday at the price tag and ridership projections of a proposed passenger rail project that could require Santa Cruz County taxpayers to shoulder up to $148 million in annual costs and potentially trigger a sales tax hike to pay for it.
Coastal Rail Trail
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola City Council appoints planning commissioner Susan Westman to vacant seat
Capitola has a new city councilmember, the second in more than five months, after the city council voted Thursday to appoint Susan Westman to fill a vacancy left by former councilmember Alexander Pedersen.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Countywide rail plan banks on federal aid to fund $4.3 billion project
Santa Cruz County transit officials reviewed the details of planned zero-emission passenger rail in a virtual meeting Monday. The project, which envisions 45-minute train rides serving up to 6,000 passengers a day will be the subject of a Regional Transportation Commission meeting on Thursday.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: RTC’s $4.3B passenger rail plans to face scrutiny in pair of public meetings this week
After the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission holds an information session on Monday focused on both ridership projections and project costs associated with its ambitious passenger rail project, it will give a presentation on the draft concept report for the project as it aims for the final report’s completion this fall.
Posted inLatest News
22 miles, 9 stops and $4.3 billion: RTC unveils vision for 30-minute train service in Santa Cruz County
Passenger train service between Santa Cruz and Pajaro could cost $4.28 billion to build and up to $41 million annually to operate, according to a new report detailing the vision for a 22-mile rail network through Santa Cruz County.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: A difficult section of Coastal Rail Trail has finally opened in Santa Cruz
Segment 7, Phase 2 of the Coastal Rail Trail is short, but the section on Santa Cruz’s Westside came with a number of difficulties that caused several delays. Its completion creates a continuous path that runs from Natural Bridges State Beach all the way to the roundabout by the wharf. The city will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday morning.
Posted inLatest News
RTC stands firm on June 30 deadline for mobile home parks encroaching on Coastal Rail Trail
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission may take legal action if residents of two mobile home parks along the rail line in Live Oak do not comply with a June deadline to move homes that sit on property owned by the agency.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Passenger rail, rural highways in focus at community meetings this month
Several community meetings this month will focus on Coastal Rail Trail and passenger rail developments in Santa Cruz and Watsonville as well as rural highway safety as the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission moves forward with exploring ways to improve safety on rural roads.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: How does Capitola City Council’s vote change rail trail plan?
Following the Capitola City Council’s vote against constructing a trail alongside Park Avenue, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and county planners will have to pursue a previously approved — but more expensive — trail alignment. Although much remains the same for the trail plans in the Capitola area, county and RTC staff will need to work with city staff to understand the exact implications of the council’s interpretation of city law.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola rejects Park Avenue rail trail plan, saying it violates Measure L city law
In the first major test for Capitola’s Measure L, the city council unanimously supported an interpretation of city law that prohibits county transit officials from constructing 0.7 miles of Coastal Rail Trail next to Park Avenue, forcing the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission to pursue the original coastal alignment for the project.