Re: Zev Yaroslavsky on Rail Service to Santa Monica
Author: mook
Date: 08-12-2013 - 18:09
I like Gary's ideas. But Carol mentioned the key points: lackamunny and Coastal Commission & friends. Both can be dealt with, but it would take time - lots of it. Hence my pessimism about seeing anything in my useful lifetime. But It Could Happen. What we need, for starters, is:
1) Somebody like Bill G. or a friend who moves to Monterey (because he/she likes it) and wants a train - and has a spare billion or so.
2) Run a Bill to move the coastal zone line to Highway 1, removing the inland part of Sand City from the Zone. The original line from the Proposition was 1000 yards, but the Coastal Act line was much more loosely drawn and in many places *is* closer to the coast than that especially where there's a major (Highway 1 or the like) in place to run it along.
3) DMUs per Freericks' Idea - San Jose to Salinas/Monterey/Santa Cruz (specials through to SF or Oakland on occasion).
4) And (for local transit) either build the Castroville connection as a wye (probably to a second track alongside UP) for Monterey-Salinas trips, or build a (light rail?) cutoff through Marina and Reservation Road (where the bus runs now).
Understand that part of the billion$ (maybe even 2 of them) would be to pay off UP for use of their r/w (a second or even (in spots) 3rd track - the idea of placing a track for the 'ring the bay' alongside but not connecting to UP has merit) and the enviros for perceived issues in the Monterey area and real issues through Elkhorn Slough (widening that embankment will light off political and legal explosions!). I don't actually think the line has to get to MBA - though it probably does need to get to downtown Monterey to make connections to local transit, which will cause weeping and gnashing of lawyers on the part of the trail people even if you give them a parallel (and improved) line. Again, bring enough money (that doesn't have to be paid back) and you have a fair chance of accomplishing something that, 20 years later, the Monterey Bay folk will wonder why anybody ever fought over it. Oh yes: raise all the grades a bit to handle the sea level rise that's coming...could make it preferable in the future to a flooded highway.