Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud took to the streets to talk to residents about their perspectives on the planned passenger train and 32-mile coastal trail, whether they would regularly use either, and if they would support higher sales taxes to help pay for the ambitious projects.
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Posted inLatest News
Rail trail cost overruns push RTC to revive railbanking debate
Faced with a $72 million shortfall for some sections of the Coastal Rail Trail, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission on Thursday resurrected a plan to remove railroad tracks despite voters rejecting the idea in 2022.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: RTC still facing funding gap for passenger rail environmental work
As the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s passenger rail project continues to move forward, the agency still needs to find funding for the project’s environmental analysis. While it would prefer to secure a state or federal grant for the work, it could come down to a commission decision to allocate local funds.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
The SMART way: What Sonoma/Marin’s experience with passenger rail means for Santa Cruz County
Wallace Baine took a trip to the North Bay, to experience the train ride, to get a sense of its possibilities and problems, and to anticipate what lessons the SMART train system can provide for potential rail passengers in Santa Cruz County.
Posted inLatest News
RTC commissioners bristle at ‘daunting’ price tag for passenger train, sparking concerns about who will pay for it
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.