Some important news - apparently SMART has found enough taxpayer $$$ to award a contract for the critical extension from San Rafael to Larkspur:
http://www.marinij.com/general-news/20170622/smart-awards-363m-contract-for-larkspur-extension
Not sure exactly what this funding covers. The bus station and some adjacent roadways in downtown San Rafael require major modification and relocation.
To be successful, they will need to build a weather tight pedestrian walkway (people mover?) directly from the southern terminus across Sir Francis Drake Highway to the ferry terminal. Otherwise, commuters will face a ridiculously long walk. Good luck with that.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
...and they get across Anderson Dr and Francisco Blvd W exactly how? (You just know that the inept crooks in San Rafael City Hall aren't going to own up to that blunder*! [5 lane crossing at a skew angle at an urban US-101 freeway interchange])
(*) another case of the railroad isn't coming back, so we can do as we please even though we signed a VERY restrictive agreement with NWP and SMART to place the crossing back in service when the time comes at city expense.
Really need Chad Thomas' popcorn icon for this thread.
A little more money is coming for the Larkspur extension:
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SMART-railroad-wins-funding-to-extend-to-Larkspur-12820111.php
No details if the station will be closer to the ferry terminal.
Funding has been received to build the planned extension north to Windsor, just north of Santa Rosa: http://sonomamarintrain.org/node/223
I'm a little skeptical about the ridership possibilities; this town is known to be infested with multi-thousand sq-ft McMansions whose owners may not step out of their Lexus' and BMW's.
SMART is also pursing funding for the extension to Healdsburg a little further north; I believe that the Russian River bridge will have to be refurbished.
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