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Coastal Rail Trail Update
Friends of the Rail & Trail, in collaboration with People Power and Ecology Action, supports a coastal rail trail as the centerpiece of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network*. The Rail Trail will be contiguous to the rail line, or, in locations where the rail right-of-way is too narrow, located on nearby adjacent routes with safe, direct and easy-to-find connections leading to and from the Rail Trail.
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is leading the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Planning process will be hosting three public workshops at north, mid and south county locations to educate and take public input regarding the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail (MBSST). This is your opportunity to weigh in on alignments and other features of this trail network:
- December 13: Pacific School in Davenport 6-8pm
- December 14: Simpkins Swim Center 6-8pm
- December 15: Watsonville Civic Plaza 6-8pm
For more information about these meetings, please visit the SCCRTC web site.
Coastal Rail Trail
Over a decade worth of of planning, public discussion, advocacy, political jockeying, and perseverance has finally resulted in a major step forward for the realization of a multi-modal green transportation corridor. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation literally had to pull out all the stops in the last several weeks to win approval from the California Transportation Commission for $14.2 million to purchase the 32-mile coastal rail corridor stretching from Davenport to Watsonville. Ecology Action staff in collaboration with Friends of the Rail Trail (FORT) and People Power worked with public transportation agencies, elected officials, union and business leaders to assure that this under-utilized corridor was secured to be transformed into a public asset.
Near Term Rail Uses
Hopefully, by the spring of 2012, the coastal rail line will add recreational train service from the City of Santa Cruz to Davenport taking passengers on a scenic ride hugging the spectacular coastline with dramatic cliffs and crashing waves. Sierra Northern Railway will run dinner car excursions and round-trip service for north county beach goers. This new train operator to Santa Cruz has years of recreational train experience throughout Northern California.
In the next couple of weeks the planning of the Monterey Bay Scenic Sanctuary Trail will commence and include the rail corridor as a consideration for a car-free bike and walking path. The planning for this trail alongside active train service will take some 2 years of engineering mapping, draft plans, public input and feedback to produce a final master planning document.
Over the next few years, public agencies, community groups and individuals will collaboratively work to fund and build segments of the coastal rail trail, mile by mile. In this process we will connect schools, homes, businesses, and parks as part of the scenic, peaceful, and car-free active transportation experience. Over the years more segments will be built and linked to provide a safe carbon-free travel and recreation outlet.
Many to Thank
There are many individuals, agencies and groups to thank for making this past week's major victory a reality. Those who put their shoulder into this Herculean task include County Supervisor John Leopold who rallied his fellow local and state politicians to seal the deal; State Senator Joe Simitian who dedicated his and his staff's time, considerable clout and smarts to moving this project through continuing hurdles, CTC Commissioner Carl Guardino, who championed this project to his fellow commissioners and final decision makers, and of course the lead RTC staff members Director George Dondero and Deputy Director Luis Mendez. Providing considerable support were RTC and County Supervisor Chair Mark Stone, Santa Cruz City Council Member Don Lane, and Supervisors Neal Coonerty with help from Supervisor Ellen Pirie. On the state level, State Assembly Members Bill Monning and Luis Alejo, Caltrans Director Cindy McKim, and former RTC director Linda Wilshusen were critical to this success. There were countless individuals, community groups, businesses, labor unions and public agencies who rallied together to advocate for this project.
It does take a village to peer into the future and see a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable future.
We look forward to working with you and the rest of Santa Cruz to realize the full potential of this shared community asset.
For more information about the rail corridor and ways to get involved:
www.santacruztrail.org
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