New report reveals $4 billion price tag for Santa Cruz-Pajaro train service
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) - A new report from the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) finds the passenger train service between Santa Cruz and Pajaro could cost more than $4 billion to build.
The expenses don't stop there for the Zero Emission passenger rail and trail project.
The report states it would cost between $31 and $41 million to operate annually.
This includes nine proposed stations along the proposed route:
- Natural Bridges Drive
- Downtown Santa Cruz (Depot Park)
- Seabright Avenue
- 17th Avenue in Live Oak
- Capitola
- Cabrillo College
- Aptos
- Downtown Watsonville
- Pajaro
The RTC expects that anywhere from 3,500 to 6,000 riders will ride the estimated 40 to 45-minute trip between Santa Cruz and Pajaro every weekday
Officials at a community meeting say they feel like that time could tempt commuters to take the train.
"At a travel time of 45 minutes, that's pretty competitive with the time it would take you to drive in a car. Obviously, there are times of the day where that drive time is more significant. And that's the time, the day you might be more apt to take the train versus drive because of the time advantage that you have," Vice President of HDR Mark McLaren said.
The Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission is meeting this Thursday at 6 pm to hear a presentation on the full report, including details on the costs, station locations, and more.
A full public hearing on the plan is also scheduled for this August.
