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Santa Cruz County Transportation Articles



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Rail-trail permits approved in Santa Cruz, part of Live Oak

‘Ultimate’ path expected next to train tracks.

Image caption: Caltrans has received $680,000 in federal funding to explore alternatives for reconnecting communities along the I-980 in Oakland.
Rerouting Past Wrongs

California lawmakers are exploring ways to reconnect urban neighborhoods torn asunder during the interstate highway construction boom of the 1950s and ’60s.

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Jury deems Caltrans liable in Hwy 9 pedestrian death

In a 10-2 decision, a 12-person jury has found Caltrans partly responsible for the 2019 death of 22-year-old pedestrian Josh Howard along Highway 9. In a verdict announced Wednesday afternoon in Santa Cruz County Superior Court after days of deliberation, …

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Santa Cruz County nets $30M ‘mega grant’ for Highway 1, rail trail work

APTOS—A $30 million “mega grant” from the federal government will go toward adding auxiliary lanes in one of the most congested areas of Highway 1 in Aptos, while building the next segment of the rail trail as well as bicycle …

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Shared e-bike system to return to Santa Cruz County

Docked bikes expected in Santa Cruz in summer.

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Supervisors approve Soquel Drive bike lane project

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday opened the bidding process for a project that will add bike lanes and make pedestrian and traffic improvements along a 5.6-mile stretch of Soquel Drive in Mid-County. Construction is expected …

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Caltrans puts another $3.3M toward Felton road project

Caltrans earmarked another $3.3 million so it can proceed with final designs and right-of-way components for the Highway 9 Felton Safety Improvements Project, the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission announced Monday. The money is coming from the State Highway Operation …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
West Cliff Drive traffic meeting on tap

Long-range plan remains delayed by Coastal Commission.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Land Trust Raises $21 Million

The Nature Connection Campaign funds will go to building an animal crossing and land protection

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Seniors, Bicyclists, Veterans to Benefit from New DMV Laws in 2023

Starting Jan. 1, California law will again require drivers 70 and older to renew their license in person at a DMV office.

Image caption: The new money will pay for construction of a trail near this section of Murray Street.
Big Win for Santa Cruz Rail Trail

The California Transportation Commission has granted $115 million to the county to implement bike-transportation projects, including the Santa Cruz Rail Trail.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
County Moves Forward with Rail Study

Engineering firm contracted to conduct study of a passenger rail line in Santa Cruz County

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CHP grant targets pedestrian and bike safety

APTOS—The California Highway Patrol in the Santa Cruz Area is implementing a 12-month enforcement and education campaign to reduce the number of fatal and injury traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County.  The …

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SLVUSD Teams With Agencies on New Traffic Flow Project

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District trustees eagerly poured over three new maps that outline possible solutions for traffic issues at its main campus, during an Oct. 12 study session. They were gearing up for key meetings with state and …

Image caption: Working conditions and paid time off are at the heart of a potential 2022 railroad strike.
UPDATED: Why Railroads Go On Strike: Trains Prepare to Shut Down

As California and the nation narrowly averted the first railroad strike in 30 years, here's a look at how damaging rail strikes have happened before, from the 19th century to today.

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Ride On: Biketober and Bike Month

Events, incentives and community involvement represent Santa Cruz County’s passion for the environment

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Watsonville teams with Caltrans on downtown road project

WATSONVILLE—Breaking from the usual modus operandi of allowing her colleagues to ask their questions and voice their concerns first, Watsonville Mayor Ari Parker started the city council’s questioning of a $25 million reimaging of downtown Watsonville’s street landscape. The people …

Featured

A map of the Santa Cruz County stretch of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail, known commonly as the Coastal Rail Trail, or the Santa Cruz Rail Trail.
The Santa Cruz Rail Trail
Information about the Santa Cruz Rail Trail project, including updated news and Explainers.
Over two weekends last October, residents of Santa Cruz and Watsonville  participated in demonstration rides aboard an electric streetcar on rails.
The ‘Rail Trail’ Movement, Explained
The heated controversy over what to do with abandoned railroad tracks
California transportation history runs from railroads to today’s car culture.
California’s History of Transportation: From Railroads to Highways
The history of transportation in California has shaped the state, from the earliest stagecoach to today’s car culture.