Santa Cruz County receives $30 million for multimodal projects
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and Caltrans, and Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District announced that the county had received $30 million in Mega Grant funding to help with RTC’s Watsonville-Santa Cruz Multimodal Corridor Program projects.
This funding will assist with the Highway 1 bus on the shoulders and auxiliary lanes from Freedom Boulevard to State Park Drive and Segment 12 of the Coastal Rail Trail Project.
The grant will partially fund teh design, right-of-way, and construction components ($25.2 million). It will also fund four new zero-emission buses for METRO ($4.8 million).
“This grant award is proof that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is working for Santa Cruz County by providing necessary funding for our project,” said RTC Executive Director Guy Preston. “Obtaining federal funding provides affirmation that our Corridor is of national significance, which is expected to facilitate securing future State and Federal grants. This multimodal project aligns with our shared goals of climate action, healthy communities, safety, and equity.”
This grant is for the final phase of the three-phase auxiliary lane and bus-on-shoulder operational improvement program along 7.5 miles of Highway 1. The county says this project should create new multimodal transportation options that improve the quality of life for Santa Cruz County residents and visitors alike.
“We are very pleased to have received this award which will help us achieve our goal of providing an efficient multimodal transportation system in Santa Cruz County. This project will prove to be a major benefit to pedestrians, bus riders, and bicyclists,” said acting Caltrans District 5 Director Sara von Schwind.
