Land Trust Joins County Rail Trail Bid

If unsuccessful, the funds would go to match a $6 million Active Transportation Program grant to build the Rail Trail from the Yacht Harbor to 17th Avenue.

The Land Trust previously committed $3 million to match a federal grant to build the Rail Trail from Wilder State Park to Coast Dairies and $335,000 to match grants to build the Rail Trail in Watsonville.

If the pending grant requests are funded, almost 10 miles of the 32-mile system will have been funded in the short time since the project’s lead agency, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, adopted its Master Plan.

The commitments represent a major new direction for the Land Trust, said President/CEO Terry Corwin. “Our new Strategic Plan calls for major investment, not only in the Rail Trail, but in building more than 40 miles of new trails in San Vicente Redwoods and at our Watsonville Slough Farm.”

Last year the Land Trust launched a campaign to build a Wildlife Crossing under Highway 17. Corwin said the group will complete the protection of land west of the highway this year and is seeking funding to build the tunnel. “We’re getting a lot of help from the state and our local elected officials,” she said. “I’m optimistic we can get this done in record time.”

Information on the Land Trust’s plans can be found on their website: http://www.LandTrustSantaCruz.org