When the voters of Marin and Sonoma Counties chose to create the North Bay’s first modern passenger train, it was to make the North Bay greener. They wanted to provide an alternative mode of transportation to reduce congestion on Highway 101. And they wanted bike lanes to follow the tracks. The result was the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit, more commonly known as SMART. Now up and running for two years, Measure I is essential to guaranteeing SMART’s financial stability for years to come.
Highway 101 is a mess. Commutes take longer and longer every year. While there are no magic-wand solutions, one thing is clear: without SMART traffic would be worse. SMART has allowed more than 700,000 passengers a year to avoid Highway 101—that’s a lot of vehicles that would otherwise add to traffic and emit greenhouse gases.
Like any new public transportation system, it’s taking time for the people of Marin and Sonoma to discover the convenience of train travel. SMART has transported more than 1.7 million passengers and 164,000 bicyclists since it began service two years ago. That’s hundreds of thousands of car trips taken off Highway 101, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing a green alternative to travel.
With much fanfare, SMART opened the Larkspur Station in December, allowing commuters to connect to the Golden Gate Ferry to avoid both Highway 101 and traffic on the bridge. That’s a game changer for Sonoma and Marin commuters. Our communities need Measure I to continue providing relief for commuters.
With a new schedule that increases frequency during peak commuting hours, SMART is on track to provide more convenient transit options for Sonoma and Marin counties. By running more often during commute hours and syncing with the ferry schedule, SMART is now offering the people of Marin and Sonoma real options to get to San Francisco and beyond without a car.
SMART continues to steadily add stations in other locations such as downtown Novato, and construction is underway to bring SMART to Windsor (slated for completion by late 2021). Measure I will help fund operations for the next 30 years and allow SMART to compete for state and federal grants to allow for the completion of the rail line to Healdsburg and Cloverdale. By voting “yes” to Measure I, you can help ensure SMART’s future by extending existing funding with no tax increase. And by guaranteeing SMART’s funding for the next 30 years, SMART can complete the route to Windsor and compete for new regional, state and federal construction funds to extend the line to Healdsburg and Cloverdale. What’s more, it will continue to qualify for $6 million a year in state money for operations.
Without Measure I, SMART faces an uncertain future. Measure I will protect the North Bay’s investment in transportation. It will allow SMART to continue operating, as well as restructure construction debt and save $12.2 million annually to fully fund operations from Larkspur to Windsor.
Furthermore, the State of California has asked SMART to consider expanding along the existing freight line that runs parallel to Highways 37 and 121 and connects to the Sacramento Capitol Corridor and AMTRAK in Suisun City. This would ease congestion along Highway 101 by removing traffic from Highway 37. This can’t happen without Measure I to guarantee funding for SMART operations.
Critics will always criticize. The same people who opposed the vision of SMART in 2008, are still fighting to kill SMART today. Here are two key facts to keep in mind. First, Measure I is not a tax increase; it’s merely an extension of the existing quarter-cent sales tax. And second, if we wait to renew the sale tax closer to the expiration date in 2028, we lose the ability to refinance current debt and save taxpayers $12.2 million.
While SMART can’t solve all the traffic problems on Highway 101, it’s taking tens of thousands of commuters off the road every year, while reducing greenhouse gases. By supporting Measure I, we can ensure that SMART keeps running, keeps expanding and keeps providing a green alternative to driving in Sonoma and Marin counties.
With the threat of climate change growing every year, we strongly urge you to ensure the future of green transportation in Marin and Sonoma Counties by voting Yes on I. Learn more at www.staygreenkeepsmart.org.
Eric Lucan, a Marin native, was first elected to the Novato City Council in 2011 (serving as Mayor in 2014 and 2019), and was just re-elected for another term. He began serving on the SMART board in 2012, and is currently the board chairman. David Rabbitt serves on the board of supervisors for Sonoma County, representing the Second District. He can be reached at david.rabbitt@sonoma-county.org.
