Rail Study Proposes Passenger Service Between Watsonville and Santa Cruz

Final Rail Study Report

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission received the Rail Transit Feasibility Study Final Report at its meeting on December 3, 2015. The report had previously been released as a draft for public comment earlier this year and was updated based on public comments received.

Revisions to the draft include providing passenger rail service from Watsonville to Santa Cruz every 30 minutes during morning and evening commute periods, with less frequent service at other times. The report includes additional information on station access, integration with the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network (MBSST) – rail trail, rail vehicle technology options, ridership estimates and noise and grade crossing technology. Prior to deciding whether to implement service on the rail line, more detailed environmental analysis, preliminary design work, and vehicle technology evaluation would be done. For more information, please see the project web page here.