The Coast Rail Coordinating Council (CRCC) is a multi-agency advisory and planning organization focused on improving the rail corridor between Los Angeles and the San Francisco bay area along the California Central Coast. Members of Council include all regional transportation planning agencies along the Central Coast – all of which have a strong interest in improving rail service and the rail infrastructure along the Central Coast’s portion of the California Coast Passenger Rail Corridor.
The Policy Committee met in Santa Barbara on March 8. The Committee approved bylaws and a contract with Gus Khouri for legislative assistance. The next Policy meeting is scheduled for May 17. Staff to the member agencies convene regular technical working group phone calls.
In March, the State announced two State Rail Assistance grant awards. The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments was awarded $650,000 in State Rail Assistance funds to develop a Coast Rail Corridor Service Implementation Plan. The City of King was awarded $1.5 million for the planning and design, including support for negotiations with Union Pacific Railroad, of a temporary train platform to be served by the Amtrak Coast Starlight and/or the planned future additional through-train.
Staff regularly participates in meetings of the California Intercity Passenger Rail group, which updated their brochure (see web attachment) this year. The brochure includes both the Coast Rail project as well as the Salinas Rail extension project.
In April, CRCC Chair Dave Potter, TAMC CRCC Alternate/ RPC Chair Mike LeBarre, Executive Director Debbie Hale, and Principal Transportation Planner Christina Watson attended the 7th annual California Passenger Rail Summit in Oakland.
Staff will provide a verbal update at the meeting.