Santa Cruz County RTC Aims for Clarity on Local Costs for Passenger Rail Project
Santa Cruz County RTC Aims for Clarity on Local Costs for Passenger Rail Project
WATSONVILLE — The summary report detailing what it would take to bring passenger rail service to Santa Cruz County had been public for almost a week, but Thursday offered the first glimpse at what the local legislators ultimately responsible for the project’s fate thought of it — and how they plan to proceed.
The county Regional Transportation Commission convened in Watsonville for its monthly meeting, which included a detailed analysis of the Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail Project Concept Report 19-page executive summary. The item was informational by nature, but the 10 voting members present eventually homed in on the project’s estimated $4.28 billion price tag and its projected $34 million to $41 million of annual operating expenses.
While commissioners were divided when it came to the project’s overall feasibility, they all agreed it was time to give county residents an unvarnished look at how much money they’d need to fork over to bring the 22-mile project to fruiti…