Train service not a realistic transit solution

A rail trail is the conversion of an unused railway track into a multi-use path, typically for walking and cycling. In 2012 the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) purchased the 32-mile rail corridor that runs between Watsonville and Davenport for $11 million. That was a great deal! At the time of the acquisition, nobody really knew what was possible, but there was real excitement about the promise of a trail where people could walk and bike safely, similar to the 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, which includes sections of an old railroad line.

In the eight years since the corridor was acquired, I reviewed the many studies, attended public meetings, completed surveys and listened to what everyone had to say. Now that more is known, myself and thousands of other concerned locals realize that train service is not right for our county, at least in the foreseeable future. Study after study has revealed obvious downsides to building a train system in our county, but a slim majority of RTC commissioners insist on pursuing rail service in the corridor. These are some of the reasons a train is not realistic:

• Santa Cruz County’s population is too small to support passenger/commuter train service. Highway 1 is congested in large part because people throughout our region use it to get to their jobs in the greater Bay Area. But the proposed train will not go there, so it will not significantly reduce highway traffic.

• There is insufficient industry to support freight service. In fact, the operator selected to provide service recently terminated its contract to do so and previous operators did the same.

• The rails, rail ties and trestles are in poor condition and would have to be replaced to support modern rail service.

• All road crossings require major safety upgrades. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists would wait at crossings during the frequently scheduled trains that passenger service requires, creating additional traffic congestion and pollution.

• A passenger train requires buying property to build multiple train stations to board and exit passengers, as well as adjacent parking lots at some stations, none of which is funded, nor have the negative environmental impacts been considered.

• The corridor is only wide enough for one train and has a single set of tracks. Passing loops would have to be built to allow trains moving in opposite directions to pass.

• Many sections of the corridor are not wide enough to accommodate the existing single-track and a trail, requiring encroachments on existing homes and businesses, removing trees, reducing wildlife habitat and inviting lawsuits.

• In the last few years, there has been explosive growth in personal active transportation — such as bicycles, electric bikes, scooters and boards — demonstrating its viability as a serious transportation alternative. In contrast, the pandemic has led people away from enclosed systems, such as subways and buses.

Building a modern train system would be one of the most expensive public projects in the history of our county, yet nobody can say how much it will cost, how long it will take, or who will pay for it. Reasonable estimates put the cost at a billion dollars or more with a project timeline measured in decades. You already know who will pay for it — we will — and without a vote.

We should drop plans to build a train because it is not an effective solution to our transportation problems, but we can apply the legal mechanism of rail-banking to preserve rail as a future option if it is needed. It is not too late for us to make smart and realistic decisions about our corridor.