RTC in denial, but money not there for rail trail

Finally, a consultant has admitted the rail trail cost will be in the multibillion dollar range!

Note the RTC is in denial acting like everything is good, while most planners worth their salt have been saying this since the beginning. All those bogus “studies” have wasted millions in taxpayer dollars when that money could have been used to build the multi-use trail. Its unfair to our descendants to saddle them with such debt. This is clearly a consultants’ dream, never-ending planning with no budgetary limits and a clear sign the RTC is out of its league.

What would be helpful is holding a bid meeting with design/build firms to get some real numbers for a multi-use trail. All we need is a bike path with shoulders for pedestrians as many other communities such as Monterey have done. The RTC states the funds will come from state and federal programs. Maybe many years from now — but how much money do you think the Trump administration is likely to send a county full of liberals?

— Mark Wegrich, Aptos

Considering the benefits, light rail is not too costly

Thank you to a June 11 letter writer for pointing out the costs of our light rail as perceived from different sectors in our country and from different members our local community. Yes, the train will cost lots of money. And, back in the 1950s the Federal Interstate Highway System was also considered by many as too costly!

But now, we are facing ever-clogged freeways, related air pollution and severe environmental damage (due mostly to burning fossil fuels) — all predicted back in the 1950s.

We need the alternative of clean, efficient rail transportation. The local rail branch in Santa Cruz County will ultimately join up (in Pajaro) with the California-wide rail system to give us high-speed passenger rail service throughout the state.

If we have a livable world by then, our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank us.

— C. Jean Ackland-Hudson, Santa Cruz

‘Deep state’ RTC would indebt community billions

It appears that the RTC provides an excellent local example of the “deep state,” and how our nation has found itself with a criminal grifter like Trump in charge. Asking local elected officials who controls the RTC, yields answers to the effect of, “the RTC is its own entity, and we don’t really get to have input.”

Instead, our community is faced with this uncontrollable entity with the power to indebt us to the tune of $4.3 billion plus $34 million to $41 million/year, while we have 600-plus miles of local roads going to gravel.

— Bob Montague, Aptos

Butts found at beach come from elsewhere

Reading the comments about banning filtered cigarettes, there is a misconception that should be cleared up: Contrary to the common belief that cigarette butts found at the beach are left there by people who smoke at the beach, the vast majority actually end up there after being washed into storm drains, carried to the ocean, then washing up on the beach by wave action. They are the butts that people drop into streets and parking lots.

The same is true of most of the plastic found at the beach. And then there’s the millions of little drops of motor oil that leak onto pavement. Everything flows downhill, and the ocean and beach are at the bottom of the hill!

— Dave Brodkey, Santa Cruz

Put tax increase for a train on the ballot now

If the RTC really thinks our county wants a train, then we should vote on a tax increase NOW to start filling the pot to pay for it and have matching funds for future grants. We have never voted on: “Train or No Train?” We now know it will cost more than $5 billion in today’s dollars and much more by the time a train is actually built. All for around 6,000 rides per day with 45 minute run-times between Santa Cruz and Watsonville if we are lucky.

Also, please don’t call it a “recreational” trail considering, as built so far, it is a sterile, fence and retaining wall-lined corridor and is nothing like what a true Greenway could be. It is just another transportation corridor, which would be much safer and more useful if bikes and pedestrians were separated.

It also doesn’t deserve the sobriquet of “Monterey Bay Sanctuary SCENIC Trail.” There are much more scenic paths in Santa Cruz. West Cliff comes to mind, which I often ride.

— Geoffrey J. Smith, Santa Cruz