Move that bus out of the lane of traffic?   In the proposed Aptos Creek Road plans — at taxpayer expense of $2 MILLION – the bus cannot fully exit the lane of traffic when stopped. If the bus cannot fully exit then it sticks out in traffic. What about the traffic behind the bus?  Those cars just wait, right?
And the proposed ramp hard for those with mobility problems? So put in a ramp but don’t put in one that really works?
The info below was written by Becky Steinbrunner:
“Greetings, All, —
“I am sending this Bcc to those whom I think would be interested. Please pass the information below to others you think would want to know, as well as on social media and NextDoor. Sign the Online Petition to protest using further Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) public money to pay for proposed road work at Aptos Creek Road that is to benefit the Aptos Village LLC developers, when they are paying virtually nothing: ( I could not get a photo of the Aptos Creek Rd. intersection to load onto the petition website)
https://www.change.org/p/
“Please know that any money you donate to the website DOES NOT go to me, but rather supports Change.org.
******I saw an announcement in today’s Santa Cruz Sentinel ‘Coastlines’ that work will begin on the Trout Gulch intersection railroad crossing next Monday and continue through December 8, with expected delays of 20 minutes. I looked on the Dept. of Public Works website and found this:
 http://
posted November 20, 2017:
 “Work is on break for Thanksgiving holiday following last week’s rain shutdown.
Work will resume on November 27, 2017 on the railroad crossing while switching to a night time schedule, 8 pm to 6 am.  One lane will remain open at all times with flaggers assisting motorists through the intersection during work hours for the safety of construction staff and the community.  A one night closure to lay down rail will need to be completed with more information forthcoming.  The detour route will be Valencia Road via Freedom Boulevard and Trout Gulch Road.
Progress on new bus shelter turnout:”
(photos of the new bus stop that will not be wide enough to allow the bus to fully exit the lane of traffic when stopped, due to required utility setbacks from the rail line)
 Meanwhile, on December 7, 9am (Board Chambers @ 701 Ocean Street) the RTC Board will consider approving an additional $1.9 Million for the Phase II Aptos Village Traffic Improvement Project work at Aptos Creek Road (project application #25). Even though the RTC has granted $1.2 million to the Phase I work already, with a contingent in last year’s grant to install bike racks, no bike racks are included anywhere in the total County Public Works project areas. It is also unclear whether there will be Class II bike lanes on Soquel Drive in the Village, with the addition of dedicated turn lanes to accommodate the Aptos Village Project and on-street parallel parking for the existing businesses. The County has consistently ranked this project applicaton area as highest priority for the past three years
The plans for the application #25 project this year were withheld from my Public Records Act request, with Public Works staff stating it was in the best interest of the public not to do so, but I did see a diagram of the work on the screen at the two RTC Committee meetings that I attended. I could not discern if there will be track replacement in the full Phase II project area, as there has been in the Phase I area (at huge taxpayer expense due to soil contamination problems).
Have you seen the large rail warning light system stored in the back of the Aptos Village Project construction area that is probably going up at Trout Gulch? It is the same as what you see at State Park Drive railroad crossing. Ridiculous and expensive.
Please feel free to pass this information on to others whom you think would be interested. I think we need to get alot of letters to the RTC before December 7 to protest the $1.9 million grant for Phase II and to get people to show up at the December 7 meeting. Commissioner Jacques Bertrand has already asked staff to investigate the Phase I problems with the relocated #71 Inbound bus stop in the Villag (the 100′-long 5%-grade sidewalk to access the bus stop will present problems for those with mobility challenges).
Write RTC Executive Officer George Dondero <gdondero@sccrtc.org>Â Call 460-3200
   RTC Deputy Director Luis Mendez <lmendez@sccrtc.org>
    RTC Chairman Zach Friend <zach.friend@santacruzcounty.
You can find the e-mail addresses for all RTC Board members here:Â https://sccrtc.org/about/
Please speak out on this and be mindful of the upcoming delays to your travels in the Aptos Village area for the next couple of weeks.
Take care,
Becky Steinbruner
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