City Of Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz Coastal Rail Trail Segment 7/Phase I Project Receives Two Awards

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

01/11/2022 10:00 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Jan. 11, 2022

Contact: Janice Bisgaard, Community Relations Specialist, (831) 420-5166

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department has been awarded a 2021 Caltrans Excellence in Transportation Award for its Coastal Rail Trail Segment 7/Phase I project. The project has also been recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) with a California 2022 Engineering Excellence Merit Award. RRM Design Group, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and Graniterock Construction are also recognized with these awards.

“Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to bring this project to the finish line with such measurable improvements for our City,” said Public Works Director Mark Dettle. “Segment 7/Phase I, our “Westside Rail Trail,” is currently serving over 800 daily active transportation users. It is helping to increase walking, biking and safety in Santa Cruz while reducing carbon emissions.”

The paved multi-use Coastal Rail Trail Segment 7/Phase I was the second segment of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail to be constructed. It is a 12 to 16 feet wide ADA-compliant facility that runs 1.2 miles from Natural Bridges Drive to Bay/California streets along the coastal side of the existing rail line. It includes 10 green crossbikes, a 60-foot long steel truss bridge, a 70-foot long soldier pile retaining wall and new vehicle and bike parking,

The annual Caltrans Excellence in Transportation Awards are chosen from statewide submissions with one award for each of 11 categories. The Santa Cruz project won in the “Intermodal Transportation” category. Judging criteria included effectiveness in reducing highway congestion/providing options to single-occupancy vehicle use and safety improvements for travelers/workers. The ACEC awards criteria included social economic and sustainable design considerations where solutions produce value to the community environment.

The Coastal Rail Trail Segment 7/Phase I groundbreaking video featuring stakeholder comments can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnpvrmZ6Q1I.

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This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.