BayRail Alliance

Time/date: August 15 - 27, 2007

Source: MTC

After 18 months of analysis and stakeholder involvement, a draft regional rail plan for expanding the region’s network of rail lines has been completed.

The Draft Regional Rail Plan was made to identify potential rail passenger and rail freight improvements for the near-, intermediate-, and long-term and the economics of different scenarios.

Come to one of a series public meetings (listed below) where you can:

* See and comment on what’s proposed to move people and freight throughout the region in the coming 50 years

* Learn how the regional rail network would be enhanced with proposed California high-speed rail investments (and view alternatives for bringing high-speed rail into the Bay Area)

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) is a plan to restore rail service on former Northwestern Pacific ROW between Cloverdale in Sonoma County and Larkspur in Marin County.  SMART will serve all the communities on the ROW between these cities.  It will connect to Santa Rosa CityBus, Sonoma County Transit, Petaluma Transit, and Mendicino County MTA in Sonoma County, and Golden Gate Transit Buses in Marin County as well as High-Speed Ferries to San Francisco at Larkspur.


Proposed SMART rail line


BayRail Alliance backs SMART, because it will provide a fast alternative for commuters going between Sonoma and Marin Counties, as well as to San Fancisco on the congested US-101 Corridor.  Both Marin and Sonoma Counties have considered widening US-101 and adding carpool lanes within Sonoma County, but also at “Novato Narrows” in both counties. We prefer to see SMART instead.

The rail corridor that SMART will use can be seem from various locations in Marin and Sonoma Counties, including the Transit Center in Downtown San Rafael, along Highway 101 in Novato, and at the Historic Northwestern Pacific Depots in Downtown Petaluma and Santa Rosa.

Status:  An EIR has been released and can be viewed at http://www.sonomamarintrain.org/project_details/impact.html
A Marin and Sonoma County quarter-cent sales tax to fund construction of SMART, Measure R, which required 2/3 vote to pass, was placed on the November 2006 Ballot and failed.  The SMART board is considers placing a similar measure on the November 2008 Ballot.

Current projected start of service: 2009, though its likely to be delayed by at least 2 years at minimum.

Current cost estimate:  $338 Million (2006 dollars)

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