March 2, 2026
To: Chair and Commissioners,
Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission
Cc: RTC Executive Director
RTC Staff
County Planning Officials
Re: Support for the Interim Trail (Segments 9–11) and
Associated ATP Grant
Chair and Commissioners:
Santa Cruz County Greenway and Trail Now submit this letter in strong and unequivocal support of the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), its Commissioners, and its professional staff as they advance the Interim Trail for Segments 9–11 of the Coastal Rail Trail.
We recognize the complexity of the decisions before the Commission, the political sensitivity surrounding the corridor, and the compressed timeline associated with Active Transportation Program (ATP) funding. The work underway requires discipline, technical judgment, and resolve. Our intent is to offer constructive support as the RTC moves this critical project toward implementation.
Support for the Interim Trail
The Interim Trail represents the most realistic and achievable path to deliver a safe, separated, ADA-accessible facility within the rail corridor in the near term. It provides a direct, buildable solution that advances mobility, safety, and connectivity for Santa Cruz County residents.
Greenway formally supported the County of Santa Cruz’s ATP application for Coastal Rail Trail Segments 10 and 11 in its May 12, 2022 letter. That support was grounded in core principles that remain unchanged:
Safety for all users, particularly people walking and bicycling;
Connectivity between neighborhoods, schools, parks, beaches, and commercial centers;
Meaningful mode shift toward active transportation; and
Equity and access across age groups and abilities.
Those principles are directly advanced by the Interim Trail configuration.
Alignment with a Long-Standing Vision
Greenway and Trail Now have consistently maintained that, in constrained segments of the corridor, a trail-only configuration is the only realistic way to deliver a world-class, separated multi-use facility. This position was based on engineering constraints, cost realities, corridor width limitations, bridge conditions, and constructability considerations that have been evident for years.
The Great Santa Cruz Trail study documents a clear and compelling vision:
A wide, multi-use, separated trail;
Safe and intuitive crossings;
A scenic, accessible corridor open to residents and visitors alike; and
A continuous 32-mile active transportation spine for the County.
The Interim Trail materially advances that vision. It moves the County from conceptual debate to tangible implementation.
Support for RTC Leadership and Professionalism
The Commission and staff have undertaken difficult decisions to reposition the project toward a deliverable path. Securing and maintaining ATP funding in the current regulatory and fiscal environment is a significant administrative and political achievement.
We appreciate the transparency of recent updates and the effort to keep the project viable under challenging conditions. The transition to an Interim Trail approach reflects professional judgment and a willingness to confront practical constraints.
The RTC has an opportunity to demonstrate regional leadership in delivering high-quality active transportation infrastructure. Completing this segment of the Coastal Rail Trail will place Santa Cruz County among the leading communities in California implementing modern separated trail systems that prioritize safety, accessibility, and climate-friendly mobility.
Timing and Delivery Risk
At this stage, timing represents the most significant risk to the project.
Primary risk factors include:
ATP grant delivery deadlines;
Regulatory approvals and permitting;
Corridor control and Surface Transportation Board processes;
Potential litigation; and
Escalating construction costs driven by inflation and market conditions.
Avoidable disputes—such as efforts to preserve infrastructure that is no longer necessary for the project’s stated objectives—serve only to delay implementation and increase exposure to funding loss and cost escalation. Clear professional recommendations from RTC staff, delivered promptly and candidly, are essential to maintaining schedule integrity.
Delay materially increases financial exposure and jeopardizes state grant funding. We encourage disciplined project management, conservative contingency planning, and early risk mitigation strategies to preserve both schedule and budget.
The Safety Imperative
The urgency of delivery is not abstract. Documented crash data in Santa Cruz County demonstrate disproportionate impacts on bicyclists and pedestrians. Separated infrastructure is a foundational component of the Vision Zero Safe System approach.
Wherever feasible, separated paths for walking and wheeling provide the greatest safety benefit to the community. Each year of delay represents continued exposure to preventable risk. Delivering protected, separated facilities is a public safety obligation.
Opportunity for Public–Private Partnership
This moment presents a rare alignment of conditions:
Secured state funding through ATP;
A clearly defined corridor focus; and
Strong and growing public demand for safe active transportation.
We encourage the RTC to foster structured public–private collaboration to:
Enhance trail amenities and user experience;
Accelerate delivery where appropriate;
Leverage philanthropic and community investment; and
Ensure design excellence in constrained areas.
Community organizations stand ready to assist constructively and responsibly.
Recommendations
To strengthen the likelihood of successful delivery, we recommend:
Clear milestone tracking and public reporting;
Early identification and management of permitting risks;
Conservative contingency planning in cost and schedule; and
Active coordination with the California Coastal Commission and other state agencies.
Our intent is collaboration and support. The shared objective is timely, fiscally responsible implementation.
Conclusion
The Interim Trail represents a practical, achievable step that advances long-standing community goals while protecting critical state funding. Moving forward decisively will demonstrate that Santa Cruz County can deliver complex infrastructure projects responsibly and efficiently.
Greenway and Trail Now stand ready to support the Commission, staff, and partner agencies in advancing this work. We appreciate the dedication required to move this project forward and encourage the Commission to continue pursuing timely implementation.
We look forward to working alongside the RTC to ensure successful delivery.
Yours,
Santa Cruz County Greenway
Trail Now
Attachments:
Signatories
Bill Cook
Bobbi Burns
Brian Peoples
Bud Colligan
Buzz Anderson
Carey Pico, Ph.D.
Carin Hanna
Casey KirkHart
Chris Amsden
Daniel Dodge Jr.
David Doolin
Dee Vogel
Dean Cutter
Della Davis
Donald Charles Schwartz, Esq.
Elizabeth Doolin
Ellen Martinez
Gregory Becker
Jack Brown
Jennie Anderson
Joe Martinez
Johanna Lighthill
Keith Bontrager
Kevin Maguire
Lauren Cutter
Lisa Smith
Lin Marelick
Lou Albert
Mark Esquibel
Marc Yellin
Marilyn Calciano
Nadene Thorne
Nancy Yellin
Nathaniel James
Nels Westman
Patrice Boyle
Scott Roseman
Steven Plumb, MD
Robert Stephens
Ryan Sarnataro
Ted Burke
Tim Brattan
Tom Haid
Will Mayall