Transportation Sales Tax Measure Draft Expenditure Plan Dec. 2015

The following are the most recently adopted spending priorities by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, which is pursuing a half-cent sales tax measure in 2016. The sales tax measure is expected to generate close to $450 million over 30 years before it sunsets automatically. Currently Sana Cruz County is one of only 10 Counties in California that does not have a similar measure in place. These so called “self-help” Counties have both more local money to spend, and are also much more competitive in seeking additional state and federal transportation funding.

• Neighborhood Projects 30% (~$135 Million) – Funding to cities and county for their high priority eligible projects such as repair and maintenance of local streets and roads; school traffic safety and safe routes to school; bicycle and pedestrian facilities; and other safety improvement projects. Also included are Highway 9 projects in the San Lorenzo Valley; and the Highway 17 Wildlife Undercrossing to improve safety for wildlife and motorists.
• Highway Corridors 25% (~$112.5 Million) – Funding for the three auxiliary lane projects on Highway 1 including 41st Ave to Soquel Dr, Bay/Porter to Park Ave, and Park Ave to State Park; two bicycle/pedestrian highway crossings; transportation systems management programs to inform travelers of real-time traffic conditions and encourage carpool/vanpooling; and Safe on 17 programs and Freeway Service Patrol to help reduce congestion and collisions.
• Mobility Access 16% (~$72 Million) – Funding primarily for specialized transportation services to meet the needs of the area’s aging and disabled populations including Santa Cruz METRO’s paratransit and Community Bridges transportation service.
• Coastal Rail Trail 15% (~$67.5 Million)– Funding to construct, operate and maintain sections of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail.
• Rail Corridor 14% (~$63 Million) – Funding to maintain the track and bridge infrastructure; environmental analysis of passenger rail transit options; Watsonville/Pajaro Valley Train Station connection with the Capital Corridor and Coast Daylight train services; improvement, upgrade and installation of signals at railroad crossings; and underground conduit and/or pipes to facilitate utilities including Internet service.