Last week, Santa Cruz Metro received another round of funding, this time for its South County project aiming to revamp the Watsonville Transit Center, and build 65 units of affordable housing above it. Up in the mountains, Highway 9 repairs continue nearly a year after the storms at the beginning of 2023.
Santa Cruz Metro
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Carmageddon: Metro’s two-year relocation, and this week’s delays
Pacific Station North, slated to break ground in February, will bring much-needed affordable housing to downtown Santa Cruz along with an updated Metro depot. However, that will come with some traffic circulation changes and the loss of some street parking to make room for the buses that will need to operate off of the street while the new depot is under construction.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Santa Cruz Metro prepares for free rides, 15-minute wait times in bid to double ridership
Santa Cruz Metro is set to begin rolling out the first phase of its Reimagine Metro initiative aimed at more direct, frequent routes and 15-minute all-day service. The changes will begin as a three-year pilot program, and civic leaders will work towards transitioning the pilot into a permanent fixture.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
RTC needs to support Metro’s visionary plans for Santa Cruz County
This week, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will make a decision that will affect the future of public transportation in the county. Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin, who is a member of the RTC and on the board of directors of Santa Cruz Metro, unpacks the importance for us and explains why support is essential.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: This week’s delays and Metro’s ramped-up UCSC campus service
In Metro’s big pursuit of doubling ridership, the transit agency is improving service to the UC Santa Cruz campus. Last week, Metro secured 12 extra-long buses to carry more passengers per ride as it looks to keep wait times no longer than 15 minutes.
Posted inLatest News
QOTD: Why does Highway 1 need bus-on-shoulder lanes?
As the long-planned Highway 1 expansion project moves forward and the future form of the major artery slowly becomes a reality, some might find it difficult to imagine a Santa Cruz Metro bus on the highway at all. In fact, it’s possible that you’ve lived here for many years and can’t recall ever seeing a […]
Posted inGuides
A driver’s guide to Santa Cruz County road delays to come
Major road work is coming in 2024, and three major east-west arteries — Murray Street, Highway 1 and Soquel Drive — will all see delays and potential closures over the next few years, which could make an already crowded commute even more time-consuming. Now, Carmageddon keeps you updated weekly on the projects that might slow your drive.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Why is Santa Cruz County so bullish on hydrogen-powered public transit?
Santa Cruz Metro recently made the largest single purchase of hydrogen buses in the country. Electric battery power dominates the zero-emission transportation sector, but the county opted for hydrogen in part to tackle the challenges posed by the region’s hilly terrain. The decision comes with its fair share of risks and barriers, most significantly the high cost of hydrogen.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Metro aims to offer rides every 15 minutes on major routes, to UCSC and Cabrillo in bid to double ridership
Santa Cruz Metro is in the early stages of making major changes to the county’s bus services, including providing much more frequent service in high-demand areas and improving service along major corridors. With a shortage of housing spreading students across the county, the Reimagine Metro effort also focuses on speeding them to and from campus.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Here’s some good news: The Santa Cruz bus system is aiming for zero carbon by 2036
The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District is expecting $66.7 million dollars in state and federal grants and Volkswagen settlement money that will allow the district to move more quickly to a completely carbon-free transportation solution. This is the largest purchase of hydrogen cell buses in the nation’s history. Lookout columnist Mike Rotkin, who is a member of the Regional Transportation Commission, breaks down the numbers and explains the significance.
