Santa Cruz METRO Awarded $38.6 Million to Buy Hydrogen Fleet and Build New Watsonville Transit Center
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Above: CalSTA awards transit funding to local agencies at Downtown Pacific Station
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) handed Santa Cruz METRO a $38.6 million check today. The money is a grant award that will enable METRO to buy twenty-four (24) zero-emission hydrogen buses within the next two years, construct a hydrogen fueling station, finish the Pacific Station redevelopment that includes 120 affordable housing units, and transform Watsonville Transit Center to include a four-story, 60 unit, net-zero-energy affordable housing development (pictured below).
These 24 new hydrogen buses will represent 25% of the entire METRO fleet. Hydrogen buses are preferred to electric because they have a more extended range and require less time for refueling. This means they can spend more time in service, which is critical for longer routes like the Highway 17 Express bus. Electric buses will still be used, too, in-fact METRO already has four in circulation and more on order.
The bottom line is that more people will have access to a zero-emission vehicle because of this state award. They build on top of a $107 million state grant the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission received to construct a HWY 1 bus-on-shoulder lane and improve Soquel Dr (see groundbreaking article below).
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Above: Rendering of the future Watsonville Transit Station with 60 affordable housing units.
In addition to the METRO award, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission received a $3.5 million award for its passenger rail and trail environmental impact report (EIR). This money will add to the $3 million the RTC already allocated to the study. It will enable the Commission to complete the environmental impact report's conceptual first phase to analyze passenger rail ridership, funding options, and coastal hazards. To complete the entire EIR (estimated cost - $20 million), the RTC would have to allocate more local tax dollars.
Finally, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) received a 2.27 million dollar award for its Pajaro/Watsonville Multimodal Station Project. This will be enough to begin an environmental impact report on building a station in Pajaro. This station is notable because it would sit at the intersection of the existing Amtrak line where the Coast Starlight Train runs down the Salinas Valley and the cutoff for the Santa Cruz Branch Line. A station in Pajaro is needed for Santa Cruz to have any connection to the state rail project.
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Photo: Groundbreaking ceremony for the phase 1 of the Highway 1 Auxiliary Lane and Bus-on-Shoulder Project.
On Wednesday last week we celebrated the groundbreaking for Phase 1 of the Highway 1 Auxiliary Lane and Bus-on-Shoulder Project. This project will construct auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder facilities from Soquel Ave to 41st Ave as well as a bike and pedestrian bridge at Chanticleer. It will improve operations on Highway 1, reduce bus travel time and improve bike and pedestrian connectivity.
Auxiliary lanes connect an on-ramp with the next off-ramp, extending the merging distance between the two. They will improve flow and reduce cut-through traffic in neighborhoods.
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Above: rendering of the Chanticleer Ave Bike and Pedestrian Bridge that will connect the Sheriff's Center side of the highway with the Greybears side. Also shown is the new auxiliary/ bus-on-shoulder lane.
The bus-on-shoulder portion will be a bus-only segment from the off-ramp to the next on-ramp (see video below). With the help of former State Assemblymember Mark Stone, Santa Cruz County passed special legislation and is the only county that can run bus-on-shoulder.
Construction begins next week, with overnight lane closures expected to start as soon as Sunday, April 30. Occasional daytime shoulder closures may occur throughout the length of the project.
Phase 2 of this project will go from 41st Ave to State Park Dr. It is fully funded and expected to start later this year.
Phase 3 will go from State Park Dr to Freedom Blvd. It is still in the environmental planning phase, and the Regional Transportation Commission is looking for ways to fully fund it. This phase was boosted with a $30 million Federal Mega-Grant award (1 of only 9 in the country). However, the complexity of this phase means the total cost, along with Segment 12 of the rail trail, will be close to $200 million.
The RTC will be holding two public meetings on the Phase 3 Project's draft environmental impact report next week: - Tuesday, May 2: Virtual Open House, 6 -7:30 p.m. Register here: www.bit.ly/Hwy1-Virtual
- Thursday, May 4: In-Person Public Hearing, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Rio Sands Hotel, 116 Aptos Beach Drive. Registration is not required.
To learn more about the project go here.
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Video: Watsonville to Santa Cruz Multimodal Investment Program.
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Photo: Sharps container outside of 701 Ocean St Having started in 2013, the County Syringe Services Program has seen a steady decline in use since 2016-17. That year the program reached a high of 4,318 visits. In 2022 there were just 1,298 visits (a 70% decline). This may be due to the state licensing a second syringe exchange program, the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County.
The Board will review recommendations to pilot a hybrid service model that reduces exchange services at Emeline and Watsonville fixed-site locations while providing new exchange outreach services in collaboration with the Homeless Person Health Project's Street Medicine program for a period of 18 months. The Board of Supervisors distributes discretionary public funding to local non-profits to provide valuable community services. It does this through a highly competitive application process every few years. Last year marked the beginning of a new cycle of awards. This item will review how the application process went and ways to improve it going forward.
You can view and comment on the entire Board of Supervisors agenda here:
http://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1978
You can make a comment during the public comment period by attending the meeting in person at 701 Ocean St, 5th Floor, or participating remotely via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89949240497
Or by telephone +1 669 900 6833. Webinar ID: 899 4924 0497
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Photo: Westridge South County Government Center rendering.
Santa Cruz County Parks is seeking an artist to create a site-specific public art component for the South County Government Center project at 500 Westridge Drive in Watsonville.
The County acquired the campus in October of 2021 to bring more services close to south county residents and reduce commute times for employees. Departments with offices in the building will include the Human Services Department, Agricultural Commissioner, Treasurer-Tax Collector and County Clerk. In addition to these services, various support spaces and a community room will be accessible to the public.
The budget for the public artwork, including design, materials, fabrication, installation, and documentation is $41,400. You can view the “Call to Artists,” which includes more detailed information on the County Parks website. The deadline is May 26th, 2023.
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Photo: Key in open door.
The County of Santa Cruz Housing for Health Division announced that homeless services projects across Santa Cruz County have been awarded $6.63 million in federal grant funding, representing the largest competitive federal Continuum of Care (CoC) allocation in County history.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded all 21 projects that were submitted from Santa Cruz County. This includes three new projects: Housing Matters’ permanent supportive housing project at 801 River Street, as well as Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center and Monarch Services, programs that provide refuge to domestic violence survivors.
Also among the projects are seven that specifically requested funding for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). These programs were awarded $1,285,268, dedicated to providing services to youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness. One project, Covenant House, received approximately one-third of the total allocation to provide rapid rehousing services to youth.
In addition, over $1,055,674 was granted to Housing Matters to provide operational support for Harvey West Studios, Housing Matter’s upcoming project that will build 120 units of permanent and supportive housing. This was a highly competitive supplemental award under HUD’s new unsheltered homelessness initiative.
Finally, HUD announced the award to the Santa Cruz County Housing Authority of 41 Stability Vouchers intended to subsidize permanent housing for households with severe needs and histories of unsheltered homelessness.
The total HUD federal award represents a 21% increase compared to last year's award total, plus the 41 stability vouchers. For a full list of CoC , YHDP and Unsheltered awards in Santa Cruz County, click here.
To learn more about the County of Santa Cruz's Housing for Health Division visit their website.
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Photo: Person working on a laptop.
The County is working on a Broadband Master Plan. This plan will include a comprehensive analysis of current internet infrastructure, an assessment of the broadband needs of residents and businesses, and a roadmap for deploying new infrastructure in the county. This plan is a required first step for the County to access new state and federal funding to expand broadband infrastructure.
We need your input! Take the Speed Survey so that we know what internet speed is accessible to you today and where new infrastructure is needed most.
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Photo: Map of Rodriguez Street between Paul Minnie Avenue and Jose Ave.
The Santa Cruz County Sanitation District has announced that Rodriguez Street between Paul Minnie and Jose Avenue will have traffic striping and markings construction, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm from April 21, 2023, through May 5, 2023. The street will be closed to through traffic during paving work between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on April 26, 2023, weather permitting.
This construction and road closure is necessary for installing traffic striping and street paving after sanitary sewer and water main improvements.
The Santa Cruz County Sanitation District wants the motoring public to be prepared for delays and detours during these times. Questions may be directed to Ryuun Ernst at (408) 435-5106.
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Photo: Aerial view of Santa Cruz County, 1st District.
Tuesday, April 25th - Board of Supervisors Meeting. Begins at 9 AM. The agenda is available . The meeting will be held via Zoom and in person at the Board Chambers at 701 Ocean Street, Rm 525.
May 2, 2023. - Regional Transportation Commission Virtual Open House for Highway 1 improvements from 6 PM to 7:30 PM. Register here.
Wednesday, May 3rd - Office Hours. From 1 PM to 3 PM. Please visit me at the First District's Live Oak Office in the Sheriff's Center, 5200 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, ground floor. Friendly reminder, Office Hours are first come, first served.
Thursday, May 4th - Regional Transportation Commission Meeting. The meeting starts at 9 AM and will be held at the Capitola City Council Chambers & via Zoom. The agenda will be available on March 27th. For more information, click here.
Thursday, May 4th - Regional Transportation Commission In-Person Public Hearing for Highway 1 improvements from 6 PM to 7:30 PM at the Rio Sands Hotel, 116 Aptos Beach Dr, Aptos, CA 95003
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