Latest Updates from RTC Meetings
- Friends of the Rail and Trail
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Update from December 4th RTC Meeting
On the Agenda
Item #25 was an informational report about railbanking.
Item 25, Railbanking, was an informational item only. The Commission did not vote to pursue railbanking. They accepted the Informational Report from staff, who repeatedly advised that Adverse Abandonment is NOT preferred.
Item #26 was a report about our Zero-emission passenger rail and trail (ZEPRT) project. We asked the Commission too:
Accept the ZEPRT report.
Corridor ID is good news for rail
Don’t destroy the rail line. Whatever trail solution you choose, it must keep the rails in usable condition.
On Item 26, the ZEPRT passenger rail report, the Commission:
Accepted the ZEPRT Rail Concept Report.
They passed a resolution to continue rail planning.
Out of a desire to keep grant funds and to build some kind of rail trail in Mid-county despite skyrocketing cost overruns, the Commissioners directed the staff to come back in February 2026 with a report on the feasibility of building an interim trail down the center of the rail corridor without doing railbanking.
At Commissioner Alternate Schiffren's suggestion, the motion directed staff to also prepare an alternative report on the feasibility of an interim trail that would not require either removing or completely covering the tracks.
Though we are not pleased with directing staff to pursue an interim trail in the same location as the tracks are now, we are grateful to Commissioner Alternate Andy Schifferin for successfully adding the non-track-removal alternative to the motion. Mr. Schiffren serves as the Alternate for Commissioner (and County Supervisor) Justin Cummings.
Having staff look at an alternative that doesn't remove or cover the tracks is a win for rail supporters. It might mean trail covering the ties, but not the rails. This could include the use of flangeway fillers to allow bikes and wheelchairs to safely move on the trail with the rails in place. https://vimeo.com/16078737
Another accepted amendment from Commissioner Alternate Schifferin asked for a report from the Caltrans Division of Rail Planning on the Corridor ID program. This is very important because RTC commissioners need a better understanding of what the Corridor ID program can do for our rail project in the next six years.
Finally, an accepted amendment from Commissioner Jensen requested that staff investigate options to retrofit the Capitola Trestle for bicycle and pedestrian use, either as part of the project already under development or as a separate future project.
Support for Rail & Trail
Big thanks go out to Commissioner Alternate Schiffren, Commissioners Quiroz-Carter and Leonore, and to Commissioner Alternates Paegler and Hurst for their support of both the rail and the trail. Thanks as well to Commissioners Keeley and Koenig for accepting Mr. Schiffren's friendly amendments.
Although we don’t like his proposal of an interim trail on the tracks, we appreciate that Commissioner Keeley managed to get the votes needed for the commission to accept the ZEPRT report.
The biggest thanks go to all of you who wrote many, many letters to the commission and who came to the RTC meeting and stayed for a grueling 6 hours to make sure our Commissioners clearly understand that the community wants them to work towards future rail service. It is your continued activism that powers these successes and gives our advocacy work credibility with the elected officials and staff.
Last week we were inspired by the letters from rail and trail supporters to the RTC. Here is a small sampling of the many great letters that came through:
“Tearing out the tracks would stop our rail project forever. Consider a future type of travel for the masses; longer distance public transportation, less single driver autos on our local streets. Many advanced countries have quality public transport, perhaps look to them” Nina
“Please keep front of mind that the VAST percentage of your constituents, of whom I am one, voted to oppose the Greenway trail-only plan. Tearing out the tracks is wasteful of existing resources and would likely doom a rail project forever. “ Judy
“We need to keep the long-vision and understand the incredible value of investing now for our future! We must continue to invest in MULTIPLE means of improving our transit system. Trail AND Rail does this, it is supported by the majority of our community” Catherine
“Cross county rail service with connectivity in Pajaro is the only logical plan. This is for the future and to ensure the county stays on plan, the rails must remain. The Monterey bay unified vision for transportation sanity needs your support now for the future generations. That means vision over self interest.” Ed
Destroying the Tracks isn't Necessary
We all know from seeing rail across California, the USA, Europe, Asia, and here in Santa Cruz, that rail can peacefully coexist with bikes and pedestrians. No fences needed. Rail transit is closer and more attainable than it has ever been. Rail transit alongside the trail is what the people voted for. Here are just a few examples of where it works.
