Corridor Physical and Legal Constraints

Legal Constraints

A trail built next to the tracks on property where there is an easement specifying only rail use, could be subject to a lawsuit. Recently property owners sued the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) over a bike and pedestrian trail built next to the tracks. The Regional Transportation Commission informs us, “Additional property rights would need to be obtained at locations where the RTC determines there are insufficient rights to build the trail, such as easements for rail purposes. If those property rights cannot be acquired, then those sections of the trail would need to be diverted off the SCBRL right-of-way and onto local streets.” 

The RTC staff state that it would be easier to build a trail if the line were railbanked: “Railbanking would allow the use of any easements that might be restricted to only rail to be expanded to include a trail adjacent to the rail line. The RTC would not need to acquire any additional property rights and would not need to construct the trail to meet freight rail requirements.” See FAQ on railbanking.

Corridor Width

Much community debate has been over the adequacy of corridor width to accomodate rail and trail.  As seen by the photo at the right, taken at 41st Ave, the existing 20 foot freight easement doesn’t leave room for an 8 foot trail on either side.

The Regional Transportation Commission’s information on this subject has changed over time, acknowledging that a larger portion of the rail corridor is not wide enough for an eight foot trail.  In 2016, the RTC’s Rail and Trail FAQ stated:

6. Is the Rail corridor wide enough for multi-use by bicycles/pedestrians and rail/transit?

Yes, the existing rail right-of-way is wide enough to include both the trail and rail. Twenty-five (25) feet of width is the bare minimum needed for a train and trail to co-exist as discussed in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Plan. 17 feet is the minimum for the train’s operational envelope and 8 feet is the minimum needed for a trail. Approximately 1/3 of a mile of the right-of-way, spread out in small areas over the 32-mile corridor, is narrower than the minimum width…

The RTC’s September 2, 2021 agenda report has different information about the width of the corridor necessary for the trail to co-exist with rail. According to that document, the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Plan locates the trail outside of the 20 foot freight easement. That would add 3 feet to the necessary width for an eight foot trail. The report does not estimate the additional lenght of the corridor unsuitable for a trail.

The Sept 2 agenda report indicates that the width necessary for light rail and trail is less than the necessary right-of-way if freight operates on the line . “Repurposing the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line for both heavy rail, light rail and a trail will require more infrastructure and right-of-way than what would be needed for only light rail and trail.” (The report does not indicate what width would be required for light rail and trail.)

RTC staff indicate that the constraints on the width of the corridor is the reason to consider the option of seeking seek abandonment of the freight easement and railbanking and construction of an interim trail (until such time as transit is developed for the corridor). The tracks would be removed and a trail built on the existing rail bed. The environmental impact reports for the trail construction on Segments 8-12 (Boardwalk to Rio del Mar) will now include the option of an interim trail.

Capitola Trestle

The RTC’s September 2, 2021 agenda report discusses the state of repair of the five bridges that span Capitola Ave, Riverview Ave. Soquel Creek, and Wharf Road, collectively known as the Capitola Trestle.  Two wooden bridges would need significant repair for any use. The wrought iron bridge over Soquel Creek would require replacement to accomodate freight loading. However, the iron bridge is considered in “fair to good condition” and “sufficient for bicycle and pedestrian loads, with some minor rehabilitation”. The report does not indicate whether the iron bridge would be adequate for light rail or streetcar.

The Commission voted to direct staff to prioritize Measure D funding for preconstruction costs for repair of the three bridges. The Commission directed staff to collaborate with County staff to include an interim trail option for the Capitola Trestle in the EIR for Segments 10 & 11 of the trail (17th Ave to Aptos). This option would remove tracks on the trestles and install decking for bicycles and pedestrians.

Aptos Rail Bridges

As seen in the photo at right, the rail bridge over Highway 1 will need to be demolished to allow highway expansion for the planned auxiliary lanes. The plan up until now has been to construct new rail bridges over the highway.

It doesn’t seem likely that the Surface Transportation Board will approve demolition of the railroad bridges without the funding and timetable for replacement bridges. The new longer bridges would require aquisition of new right of way from owners of private property– a lengthy process.  As the June 3, 2021 RTC report stated about the costs of rail and trail at Aptos, “Many of these costs were not captured in previous planning level studies.”

Harkins Slough

As the photo at right shows, the tracks travel across the slough. The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Plan Section 4 proposes a possible 400 foot boardwalk bridge across the slough.

Harkins Slough is the largest freshwater slough in California’s Central Coast region, and the four-hundred- (400-) foot crossing of the slough may require a boardwalk bridge structure adjacent to the rail line to reach down the coastal side of the slough.

The Master Plan was later amended (Appendix I) to offer an alternate route for the trail that would avoid Harkins Slough: approximately four miles of bike lanes on existing roads.