Zero Emission Passenger Rail & Trail Project FINAL Project Concept Report Now Available for Viewing!

Curious about passenger rail and trail in Santa Cruz County?
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is pleased to announce the availability of the Final Draft Concept Report for the Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail (ZEPRT) Project. Over the last several months, the RTC engaged with various advisory committees, agencies and partners, stakeholders and community members to receive input on the Draft Project Concept Report. The full report incorporates feedback received, documents key understandings and outcomes, and tracks outreach conducted for this current phase of work.  

“This report represents an important step forward in understanding what zero-emission passenger rail could mean for Santa Cruz County. It provides our community and decision-makers with the facts needed to thoughtfully consider how this system might enhance mobility, sustainability, and access for all,” RTC Executive Director Sarah Christensen said. “Our goal has always been to plan responsibly and transparently, and this study gives us the foundation to do exactly that.”

The RTC publicly released the full Final Project Concept Report on October 24, 2025.

“The RTC appreciates the community’s patience as our staff has invested significant time in producing a high-quality and thorough final report,” Christensen said. “In the interest of public transparency, the RTC assures the community that this report dated October 24, 2025, has not been previously shared or distributed outside of the RTC.”

Take a deeper dive into the full report!
To dive deeper into what’s changed with the conceptual rail and trail alignment, ridership projections, operations and more, read the full Final Project Concept Report located on the project webpage at sccrtc.org/zeprt under the “Resources” section.

Stay connected at sccrtc.org/zeprt or follow the RTC’s social media platforms!

The ZEPRT project proposes new passenger rail service and stations on approximately 22 miles of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line and 12 miles of Coastal Rail Trail: Segments 13-20 as well as the Capitola Trestle portion (Segment 11, Phase 2).