This is one all-volunteer team that I am extremely proud of. We spent the year doubling down on community outreach.
We started the year with the completion of the TCAA, which selected passenger rail service as the preferred transportation option on our branch rail line. Then, we spent the Spring and Summer doubling down on community outreach while also finding time to celebrate a new trail Segment opening in Watsonville. Meanwhile, we also sent over 1,100 letters to the RTC Commissioners. Then, this fall, we spent a week at the Santa Cruz County Fair and turned-out to volunteer for Coast Futura. Together we watched as zero emission light rail service glided around the county.
With all this action, it should come as no surprise that we’ve doubled and tripled our reach in the community. From doubling our endorsing organizations, to quadrupling our community events we’ve let more people know about the rail and trail project than ever before.
Thank you to our 900 volunteers, donors and advocates
We’re sending a huge thank you to the 900 volunteers, donors and advocates who made all of this possible! You are the power behind this grass-roots, community led movement to build the 32-mile Coastal Rail Trail, bring zero-emissions light rail to our transportation system and to continue to advocate for safe streets so we can all walk and roll together.
Why Santa Cruz County needs Rail & Trail
Are you interested in hearing the latest commentary on the status of Rail & Trail in Santa Cruz County? I was a guest on the Speak for Change podcast! Check out this link to hear the conversation about why we need Rail & Trail and take a deep dive into some of the local politics surrounding the rail and trail issue.
A Look Through Our Policy and Inspiration
Summer Fun In a City Built for Bikes and Trains
Recently I had the privilege of studying in the Netherlands, Amsterdam. My accommodation was a few miles from where I took classes, which meant that I joined the thousands of other...
Read MoreSeptember 23, 2022Confessions of a Lead Foot Driver
What can we do right now to help make our streets safer for everyone to walk and bike?
Read MoreSeptember 23, 2022Landslide Election Delivers Mandate for Rail & Trail Projects
On June 7 2022, the Santa Cruz County electorate came together with an outpouring of support for keeping the current plan to have both rail and trail, including implementing light rail...
Read MoreJuly 11, 2022The RTC’s Rail Funding Paradox
With an unprecedented amount of federal and state funding available for implementing passenger rail service, why do we still keep hearing 'there's no money for rail?' The truth is, our Regional...
Read MoreMay 9, 2022Action Alert: Everyone Loses with Adverse Abandonment
We support Roaring Camp’s right to operate and agree that abandonment of the Felton and Santa Cruz to Watsonville rail lines will hurt our local economy and our mobility options.
Read MoreJanuary 22, 2022Mission Pedestrian Opposes Greenway
This article was originally sent to the Mission Pedestrian email list on Wed, Aug 11, 2021. By Debbie Bulger of Mission Pedestrian Dear All, Public transit is very important for pedestrians...
Read MoreJanuary 20, 2022How We Benefit From the California State Rail Plan
There's a lot to love in the California State Rail Plan (CSRP). Not only will the CSRP connect the entire state by 2040 with a better, faster and fully connected passenger...
Read MoreJanuary 7, 2022We Oppose the Greenway Initiative
The Greenway initiative is an attack on future rail transit and on rail trail construction.
Read MoreJanuary 6, 2022Coast Futura: Our Path to the Future
This fall, we were delighted to experience the Coast Futura demonstration. It gave us the opportunity to witness what zero-emission rail transit could look like in Santa Cruz County.
Read MoreDecember 9, 2021North Coast Trails Update
Progress on two important trail projects on the North Coast: the Coastal Rail Trail and the Cotoni-Coast Dairies trail network.
Read MoreDecember 9, 2021Clean Electric Streetcars in the Santa Cruz Plan
Lower-Cost Options for the Santa Cruz Branch Line 2021 was the first time that the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) identified fast wireless streetcars, also known as fast wireless...
Read MoreOctober 7, 2021Just the Facts: Why Does Coast Connect Include Rail Transit?
Sometimes people ask why it’s important to work for passenger rail transit next to the Santa Cruz Rail Trail. The Coast Connect Vision includes building the Coastal Rail Trail; running clean...
Read MoreAugust 11, 2021A Look at Local Gentrification and Displacement
How can we provide better services in our neighborhoods without causing displacement? We believe that communities should have influence over planning decisions that impact them. We advocate for policies that can...
Read MoreAugust 11, 2021Summer Rail Trail Reading List
Recommended reading and podcasts on housing, social justice, the environment and transportation Books and articles we’re reading now How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi Professor Kendi uses personal...
Read MoreAugust 11, 2021On Getting Around while Disabled
Officially, my disability is deafness, one that arrived suddenly, accompanied by severe vertigo. Since the deafness, though not complete, means that I can’t locate the source of sounds, and the vertigo...
Read MoreAugust 11, 20216 Reasons to Support both Zero-Emissions Rail and the Rail Trail
Rail and Trail are better together! Here are 6 reasons why the RTC should be pursuing both the rail trail and passenger rail public transportation in Santa Cruz County.
Read MoreJune 25, 2021Take Action Now!
We can dramatically reduce our local greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), but the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) isn’t moving the plan forward.
Read MoreJune 7, 2021Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Data Shows Transportation is Key
Post updated April 19th 2023 to include new METRO proposals Greenhouse Gas Reductions Require Public Transit According to research presented in the October 2020 Driving Down Emissions report from Smart Growth America1,...
Read MoreMay 27, 2021City gets Grant to Finish Westside Rail Trail
Caltrans has awarded the City of Santa Cruz a $9 million Active Transportation Program grant to build the second part of the Westside Rail Trail. Formally known as Segment 7 Phase...
Read MoreMay 27, 2021Protected Bike & Pedestrian Path Coming to Green Valley Road!
Celebration at Pinto Lake on Friday, May 28th from 5-7pm.
Read MoreMay 27, 2021Update from the Chair
What Happened with the Rail Project in April and May?
News updates on the rail and trail project.
Read MoreMay 24, 2021
