Build the Coastal Rail Trail
The Coastal Rail Trail is a proposed 32-mile paved bike & pedestrian trail that will run parallel to the rail line from Davenport to Watsonville. The trail forms the spine of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail, which includes an additional 18 miles of trails and will eventually connect to the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail. The Coastal Rail Trail has been a top priority project for Bike Santa Cruz for more than a decade, and in partnership with Friends of the Rail & Trail, we continue to advocate for trail funding and construction.
After years of advocacy, the purchase of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) was approved in 2012. RTC Commissioners approved the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Master Plan in 2013, and funded the first two segments of trail in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. The Santa Cruz segment is 2.4-miles and runs through the Westside from Pacific Ave. to Natural Bridges Drive. The 4,000-foot Watsonville segment is near East Beach Street and connects local neighborhoods to the Watsonville Slough Trails. Projects are expected to be completed in 2018 and 2017, respectively.
For more information on the project and to view the complete Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Master Plan, visit the RTC's website: www.sccrtc.org/projects/multi-modal/monterey-bay-sanctuary-scenic-trail/