Statement by SCCRTC Executive Director Sarah Christensen

January 14, 2026

MISSION: SCCRTC develops and delivers transportation solutions for a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable community.

 
As we look back on 2025, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is grateful for a year of steady progress and strong community partnership, from advancing both the long-term vision for the region and the RTC-owned branch line, to celebrating the opening of a new bridge over the highway, and making a crucial pivot to save significant funding for near-term projects, we’ve continued building toward a safer, more accessible, and more sustainable transportation system.

2025 Reflections

As we wrap up the year, I’m proud to reflect on the progress the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) made in 2025 toward delivering vibrant, sustainable, and equitable transportation solutions for our community.

This year we strengthened our organization with key new hires across real property, finance, planning, and leadership—building the capacity we need to deliver an ambitious slate of projects and continue planning for the future.

We celebrated the first phase completion of Highway 1 auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder improvements, and opening of the Chanticleer bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing. Construction on the Highway 1 improvements between the Bay/Porter and State Park Drive interchanges continued, bringing us closer to opening the Capitola Avenue overcrossing next month and new bicycle and pedestrian bridge at Mar Vista Drive later this year.

We marked major milestones for the Coastal Rail Trail, including the opening of Segment 7 in Santa Cruz and continued progress on construction of Segment 5 along the North Coast. We also released the Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail Final Concept Report, concluding more than two years of community and stakeholder engagement to help shape the future of passenger rail in Santa Cruz County.

Our region was awarded $128.7 million from the state for Watsonville to Santa Cruz multimodal improvements countywide—an extraordinary investment in our region’s future. We were awarded $19.5 million from a highly competitive federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program for Coastal Rail Trail projects under development – a first for our region from this funding program. We completed our first Transportation Equity Action Plan, launched the GO BIKE! e-bike incentive program, and connected with thousands of community members through more than 35 public meetings, workshops, and community events.

I am deeply grateful to our talented staff, partners, and community members whose dedication made these achievements possible. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.

Zero Emission Passenger Rail & Trail (ZEPRT) Project Concept Completion

In 2022, the Commission directed staff to pursue the next steps in developing a passenger rail facility along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line between the Pajaro Junction and Santa Cruz. The proposed project would upgrade the existing single track freight facility to a zero emission passenger rail facility, and construct the remaining segments of multi-use trail along the Branch Line.

The Project Concept Report, completed last October, examined the estimated travel times between key destinations; outlined capital cost estimates for rail infrastructure, vehicles, maintenance facilities, and stations; projects operating and maintenance costs; and estimated potential ridership based on local travel patterns and population density. This report provides technical answers that can ground those conversations in facts rather than speculation. The report can also support regional, state, and federal funding pursuits, should future phases of study or implementation be advanced.

Last month, the Commission accepted the report and pledged their support for passenger rail as a long-term improvement to the RTC-owned branch line, while directing staff and partner agencies to pursue the interim trail configuration, which preserves over $120 million in grant funds programmed to Coastal Rail Trail projects under development between San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz and State Park Drive in Aptos. This heroic pivot allows for Coastal Rail Trail community benefits to be realized in the near term, while continuing to plan for passenger rail and trail in the long-term in alignment with the state and federal vision for our branch line corridor. Without last month’s action, our community would have neither the rail or trail project for the foreseeable future, due to the failure to comply with funding program requirements and deadlines.

The 2050 Regional Transportation Plan: Shaping our Future Together

We are excited to share that the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) was released last month for public review. This long-range plan represents a major milestone for the future of our region’s transportation, acting as our roadmap built with care, collaboration, and a shared vision for a connected and sustainable future.

Over the past two years, the RTC has worked with community partners, local agencies, and residents to craft a plan that brings together our goals and policies, revenue projections, and a comprehensive list of transportation projects and needs across all modes. The RTP also measures how we are progressing toward our performance targets, helping ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

We invite the community to review the plan, share your insights, and be part of this important conversation. Please join us for the public hearing at the January 15 RTC meeting. You can also join a public workshop via zoom on Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. for Santa Cruz focused information on AMBAG’s Draft 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy where RTC staff will be on hand to answer questions about the RTP.

Opening of Capitola Avenue Overcrossing

The finishing touches are being added to the new multimodal overcrossing at Capitola Avenue, connecting the north and south sides of the bridge over Highway 1 for walkers, bicyclists, and motorists. The new aesthetic features were placed, which were selected by the community through a robust public input process back in 2022, which provides a visual gateway for the Capitola community for years to come.

Our team is hard at work planning a ribbon cutting celebration for the community. The bridge is planned to open within the next month, weather dependent. Please visit our website to stay up to date on the bridge opening and ceremonial ribbon cutting community celebration.