$103 Million for Bike & Walk Trail

COMMUNITY NEWS

$103 Million for Bike & Walk Trail

For Aptos residents, it’s the biggest Christmas surprise ever: On Dec. 7, the California Transportation Commission approved $103.3 million in grant funds for 6.5 miles of the Coastal Rail Trail, a bike and pedestrian path next to the railroad tracks from Beach Street in Santa Cruz to 17th Avenue in Live Oak, then to State Park Drive in Seacliff.

This means more than 18 miles of the Coastal Rail Trail from Davenport to Aptos are now fully funded. These sections of Rail Trail are expected to be completed by 2025.

The funds come from the state’s Active Transportation Program.

“This is a big win for Santa Cruz County,” said Regional Transportation Commission Executive Director Guy Preston. “The Coastal Rail Trail projects are going to transform the way people travel through our county and will benefit generations of bicyclists and pedestrians. This is a great example of how voter-approved local funding can leverage larger state and federal grants.”

Santa Cruz County’s 2016 voterapproved Measure D sales tax provided a match to leverage the funding.

The trail is a multi-jurisdictional project, and the County of Santa Cruz was awarded $67.6 million for 4.5 miles of trail known as Segments 10-11.

This is the largest active transportation grant the state has ever awarded.

The project, rated 95 out of 100, is in the environmental phase with final design expected to begin in 2024.

Game Changer

“The Coastal Rail Trail is a gamechanger for the County’s residents, bringing them new recreational and commuting options while helping us reduce greenhouse gasses and improving the health and safety of the community,” said Santa Cruz County Parks planner Robert Tidmore. “This will be remembered as an important day in building Santa Cruz County’s transportation future.”

The City of Santa Cruz was awarded $35.7 million to deliver segments 8 & 9 of the trail, rated 90 out of 100. Environmental, design and right-of-way work for this 2.2-mile trail is underway.

“We are so excited to secure funding to advance constructing the Coastal Rail Trail. This is an important project for our community,” said Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker. “Families, children, and visitors will be able to safely walk and bike in Santa Cruz to all of our amazing amenities.”

Segments of the Rail Trail in Santa Cruz from the Wharf to the Westside are completed or under construction.

Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail & Trail, which in June successfully fought Measure D, Greenway’s vision to drop passenger rail service from the county general plan and use the rail corridor for an interim multi-use trail, congratulated the staff at the City of Santa Cruz, County of Santa Cruz and RTC who applied for the money.

“Trail Funds” page 8

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