Electric Rail to Pajaro: $478M, By Jondi Gumz

COMMUNITY BRIEF

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 21.9mile 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 was to be presented to the 11-member RTC commission for review, input, and acceptance at its April 1 virtual meeting. 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.

Assuming construction costs at $478 million, that would include construction, $364 million; vehicles, $64 million; final design and permitting, $34 million; preliminary engineering, preparing environmental documents, $17 million; initial and final conceptual design, cost estimates and ridership projections, $5 million; identifying critical design issues and governance strategy, $600,000.

As for right-of-way acquisition, no costs are anticipated as the RTC owns the branch line, which extends 32 miles from Davenport to Watsonville.

The plan expects passenger service to terminate in Westside Santa Cruz.

The timetable assumes the initial operating plan will be ready in fiscal year 2022-23, environmental documents in fiscal year 2025-26, construction starting in 2029-30 with rail vehicle acquisition in 2031-32, with both finishing in 2034-35.

Federal Funding Sources

The biggest federal funding source for construction is the Federal Transit Administration New Starts and requires a local match before a grant is awarded. The assumption is $100 million.

Grants are not provided until 30% of the preliminary engineering is complete to provide confidence on cost estimate accuracy. Typically, the project sponsor

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.

“Highway 1 commuters, including essential workers, need an option to free themselves of gridlock that robs them of time with their families,” Segal continued. “A zero-emissions light rail service will give our county an important tool in the fight against climate change. Rail service will also help improve public transportation for local seniors and those with disabilities.”

The greatest support appeared to be in supervisorial District 4, which includes Watsonville, where residents deal with daily traffic jams on Highway 1 to and from work.

The least support appeared to be in District 1, which includes Live Oak, which would access the train, and the Summit, which would not, and District 2, where train tracks run through Aptos.

The most opposition appeared to be in District 2, which includes Capitola, which is bisected by train tracks, and Aptos, followed by District 1, then District 5, Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley, which are the farthest from the branch line.

The announcement of the poll results did not include breakdowns of the “strongly” and “somewhat” in each supervisorial district. The Times requested that information and was told it is not available.

The poll asked about two other options: 19 percent were in favor of pausing the electric rail planning and keep building a trail alongside the rail line, and 17 percent were in favor of removing track and converting the corridor into a trail for walking and biking. n

must front these costs for two to four years until the grant arrives.

The second construction source of funding is the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development transportation discretionary grants, which may require a 20 % non-federal match. The assumption is $15 million.

The third federal source, which can be used for pre-construction construction and vehicles, is the Surface Transportation Block Grant, for which a 11.47% non-federal match is required. The assumption is $9 million.

Funding is considered unlikely from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement program, Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment and Railway Highway Crossing Section 130 to eliminate hazards. The assumption is $0.

“Electric Rail” page 18

Valley Gardens: What’s Next

Adeveloper proposes to rezone the shuttered Valley Gardens golf course at 263 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, and build 130 single-family homes and 10,000 square feet of commercial space on 30 acres. Robson Homes of San Jose has eyed the site since 2018.

On projects of this size, the city of Scotts Valley typically contracts with a consulting firm to prepare the necessary environmental documents.

Two firms submitted proposals. KimleyHorn & Associates was selected for its experience and knowledge of the city.

Taylor Bateman, the city’s community development manager, estimated the cost to complete an environmental impact report at $210,186 plus $36,000 for a biological survey. The developer bears those costs.

Bateman estimated the environmental review will take ten months.

The developer wants to rezone from commercial and open space to medium-high density (5-9 units per acre) residential, commercial and open space.

The project requires a General Plan amendment, planned development permit, land division, conditional use permit and design review approvals. n