Santa Cruz County hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for the Green Valley Road redevelopment project that began last summer. More Watsonville road improvements are on the way, with Freedom Boulevard slated for a swath of upgrades beginning in 2026.
transportation
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Why Soquel Drive is worth the investment for bikers – and why it matters to all of us
Matt Machado, Santa Cruz County’s director of community development and infrastructure and an avid cyclist, knows Soquel Drive; here, he explains improvements the county is making to ensure a 5.6-mile stretch of the road is safer for bikers, pedestrians and drivers.
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
Santa Cruz to open idle rail line to pedestrians, cyclists during Murray Street Bridge closure
Santa Cruz transportation officials agreed Thursday to explore using an existing railroad bridge next to the Murray Street Bridge as a temporary path for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the harbor during the extended bridge closure, though some fear the move could derail plans to use the tracks for a future passenger train.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
After another pedestrian hit on Capitola’s Bay Avenue, residents demand faster safety fixes
After six pedestrian accidents since 2017, some Capitola residents are demanding immediate safety fixes on Bay Avenue as city officials work toward a $5 million plan to build roundabouts.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Bay Street redevelopment; 4 takeaways from new passenger train report
The first phase in making Bay Street friendlier to cyclists and pedestrians is set to wrap up this fall on Santa Cruz’s Westside, while a new report offers more details on plans for passenger rail service ahead of Thursday’s RTC public hearing.
Posted inLatest News
Murray Street Bridge closure puts spotlight on long-standing safety concerns on Midtown’s Cayuga Street
Residents of Cayuga Street in Santa Cruz say the Murray Street Bridge closure has brought more traffic to the neighborhood, spotlighting longstanding concerns about dangerous drivers and fatal accidents on the street.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
City of Watsonville loses $2.3 million in federal funding for traffic safety study
Watsonville officials said Wednesday that the city lost a $2.3-million federal transportation grant to study the effects of heavy truck traffic on residential neighborhoods because of changes passed as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Riding a bike should not be so dangerous in Santa Cruz County – plastic balusters are endangering cyclists
Longtime Santa Cruz County resident Rick Boyce critiques the county’s approach to traffic safety, especially the use of plastic balusters meant to protect cyclists. While acknowledging well-intentioned infrastructure like the Whale Bridge and buffered bike lanes, Boyce argues that poorly executed solutions — such as damaged and hazardous lane dividers — might be doing more harm than good.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County ranks second in California for bike, alcohol-related crashes, safety report shows
Santa Cruz County ranks among California’s most dangerous regions for cyclists and pedestrians, a decadelong traffic safety report shows. Local advocacy groups cited inadequate cycling infrastructure and population growth as key factors contributing to the high rate of serious crashes.