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COMMUNITY NEWS Electric Rail to Pajaro: $478M
By Jondi Gumz
As supporters envision a new era of electric commuter rail or light rail on the little-used Santa Cruz branch line through Capitola and Aptos to Watsonville, the question — how much would it cost? — hasn’t been answered, until now.
A new report from the staff of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (also known as RTC) estimates the cost of construction and rail vehicles at $465 million to $478 million and the annual operating cost at $25 million, with service potentially starting 14 years from now.
The report, described as a 25-year business plan, details potential federal and state revenue sources, estimating a $200 million shortfall for construction of the 21.9-mile route from Pajaro to Westside Santa Cruz and a $125 million shortfall for operations and maintenance, necessitating a sales tax measure requiring support by two-thirds of county voters or some other taxes or fees.
Funds could come from vehicle registration fees, a local fuel tax, property tax, income tax, transient occupancy tax on hotel rooms and vocational rentals, student fees, vehicle miles traveled charges or parking fees, the report noted.
The biggest federal funding program limits the federal share to 60% of the cost.
The 66-page business plan will be presented to the 11-member RTC commission for review, input, and acceptance at its April 1 virtual meeting at 9 a.m. To view, see: https://sccrtc.org/projects/ multi-modal/transitcorridoraa/
In February, the RTC accepted an earlier study identifying electric passenger rail as the preferred alternative, providing the most benefit to county residents, businesses, and visitors in terms of improving the economy, equity and the environment.
The business plan assumes 7,150 riders each weekday and 2,800 per day on Saturday and Sunday starting in 2040. That amounts to 7 percent of the 100,000 vehicles a day using Highway 1 in Capitola.
The plan assumes passengers would pay $4.50 per ride CHECK per day?
Fares typically cover 20% to 40% of rail operation costs in the U.S., offering affordability to underserved communities, the plan notes.
“Electric Rail” page 10
Poll: 52% Strongly Support Electric Rail
By Jondi Gumz
Apoll of 618 active voters found 52 percent said they “strongly support” continuing with the plan for electric light-rail passenger train service on the 32-mile Santa Cruz County branch line, according to Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail & Trail.
The poll found 21 percent “somewhat support” the plan, 14 percent “strongly oppose” it, 4 percent “somewhat oppose it” and 9 percent didn’t know or didn’t answer. The margin of error was 4 percent.
The poll was conducted in mid-February by California-based FM3 Research, the firm that did polling for the successful 2016 Measure D tax for transportation.
That was before the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission staff produced a cost estimate for a 22-mile electric passenger train of $478 million to build from Pajaro to Westside Santa Cruz and $275 million a year to operate, with 7,150 boardings a day on weekdays.
To FORT Board Chair Faina Segal, a Watsonville native, the poll showed 74 percent “favorable,” adding “strongly” and “somewhat” support together.
“This community, especially those who are active voters, are very clearly saying they want planning for rail service to continue,” she concluded.
