RTC Report Favors Electric Passenger Rail

Comments Due Nov. 27

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission invites the public to provide input for Milestone 3 of the Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis through an online public open house Nov. 6 through Nov. 27. The proposed locally preferred alternative in the 282-page report is electric passenger rail.

This choice was guided by performance analysis, input from the commission, RTC advisory committees, partner agencies, community organizations, stakeholders, and members of the public, according to the report. Input received from public and stakeholder engagement will be “fully considered” by the project team and RTC in making its final decision of a locally preferred alternative, according to the RTC.

A decision on whether the rail option will be electric commuter rail or electric light rail is not recommended as part of this study. The infrastructure needed for either rail option is similar so deferring this decision will maintain flexibility for future decisions, the study says, while clean energy rail technologies advance. A decision on different electric rail vehicle types and sizes would be better studied in the preliminary engineering and environmental analysis phase, according to the study.

This year-long study is evaluating high-capacity public transit alternatives to provide an integrated transit network for Santa Cruz County using all or part of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. Intercounty and interregional connections to Monterey, Gilroy, the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond will be considered.

Since June, the Regional Transportation Commission has been evaluating a short list of alternatives narrowed and is now ready to share its conclusions publicly.

To offer convenient participation while social distancing, RTC is hosting the open house where the public can review information and submit comments.

•••

The deadline to comment is Nov. 27. To view details, visit www.sccrtc.org/transitcorridoraa.