Obama Designates $20 Million in Funding to Extend SMART to Larkspur

The following is a news release from the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit:

Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) announced Monday that based on recommendation from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the President’s FY 2016 budget recommends $20 million to complete construction of SMART’s rail extension to Larkspur. If approved by the Congress, the funding will come to the region as part of the highly competitive nationwide Federal Transit Administration Small Starts grant program.

Previously, Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) had recommended $11M towards the $40M Downtown San Rafael to Larkspur extension project. Based on that recommendation the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) increased the amount to $20M and urged the Secretary of Transportation to fund the remaining amount and ranked SMART’s project as one of the Bay Area’s top priority for Federal funding. Upon approval of the President’s budget by the U.S. Congress; the Larkspur extension is now fully funded.

The past 24 months for the SMART project is perhaps best summarized in this way: Relentless focus on delivering the voter’s vision. Board direction to our staff has remained the same: Deliver the full rail and pathway project, from Cloverdale to Larkspur, in the shortest time possible. Every cost saving measure has been utilized in going further and further. This has been accomplished by focusing on fundamental elements with functional but simple facilities such as the train operation center and passenger stations.

Here’s what local leaders had to say:

• Judy Arnold Chair of SMART: “This Small Starts grant means that SMART will become a truly regional mode of transportation connecting the ferry in Marin to the airport in Sonoma. SMART is grateful to The President, Secretary of Transportation, FTA Administrator, Senators Feinstein and Boxer, Congressmen Thompson and Huffman, TAM Commissioners and Staff, MTC Commissioners and Staff in particular Commissioners Steve Kinsey and Jake Mackenzie for this incredible opportunity. And now we go North”.
• Barbara Pahre Vice Chair of SMART: “The SMART Board has always envisioned a seamless connection to the Golden Gate Ferry service in Larkspur. It’s pretty exciting to see funding for this crucial transit connection”.
• Jim Eddie: “Larkspur is an important connection to Marin and Sonoma residents. We have now delivered one of the destinations we have promised, we are not done yet”.
• Deb Fudge: “Great news - a huge piece of the financial puzzle allowing SMART to run the train all the way to Larkspur. We fought to weather the Great Recession and SMART is now on track to bring traffic-free transportation from the Sonoma County Airport to the ferry in Larkspur - and on to San Francisco,” said SMART Board Member and Windsor Town Councilmember Deb Fudge. Next stop - Windsor.”
• Madeline Kellner: “We’ve put in a lot of hard work for a long time now and it’s great to see that the Federal government too has recognized the value of this project to the region.”
• Jake Mackenzie: “The completion of this segment of our system tells our future riders that SMART is on track!”
• Stephanie Moulton-Peters: “The local voter support given to us in 2008 with Measure Q helped to set this in motion. I couldn’t be more proud of how we reinforced the local and regional funding commitments to this project and were able to attract these federal resources and national honor to SMART.”
• Gary Phillips: “The extension from San Rafael to Larkspur will add enormously to the convenience and utility of the SMART train to all its riders, and it will have a tremendously positive economic impact on the entire area.”
• David Rabbitt: “This is a grand achievement! We will continue working hard to fulfill the public’s vision of the SMART Project, including a second station in Petaluma.”
• Carol Russell: “The northernmost station celebrates the good news about the southernmost because it helps build ridership which, in turn, helps speed the day when SMART’s sleek, ultra-comfy trains will pull into Cloverdale’s station, too!”
• Kate Sears: “We now have delivered every station that SMART promised in Marin County. Now we will work even harder to deliver more in Sonoma County”.
• Shirlee Zane: “Hallelujah! At last we know for certain that this critical segment of rail will be built sooner rather than later, significantly extending the benefit provided to riders in both Sonoma and Marin counties.”