Re: SMART freight - Extensions to Windsor and Healdsburg
Author: Legal Beagle
Date: 12-01-2021 - 19:38
The Windsor extension is hung up by the RM-3 lawsuit now before
the CA Supreme CT. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff (Howard
Jarvis Taxpayer's Assoc.) the escrowed additional tolls we've been
paying on state bridges will be rebated through the FASTRAK system.
And the Windsor extension will be further delayed until funding can be
found to complete it.
If HJTA loses, the funds will be there to complete it within a few years.
Healdsburg is a totally different project. It's not in the MTC's long range
plan (nor is Cloverdale) which means the federal infrastructure funds will not
be used for these extensions.
My guess is the extension to Windsor will eventually occur. Any extensions
further north will depend on SMART being able to pass its tax extension measure
(expected in Nov 2024, although it could be Nov. 2022).
They were trounced in March 2020. The 2/3 requirement is significant and they'll
need to win back many voters that turned against them.