Marin jury critical of SMART direction

Enlarging on recent comments and criticisms, the Marin County
Civil Grand Jury this week is urging the executive board of the
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) to defer construction of a
$91 million bicycle/pedestrian pathway until additional funds can
be secured for the $590 million overall project.
The 18-page report titled “SMART: Steep Grade Ahead” also called
on the SMART board to develop new budget alternatives, re-evaluate
its train ridership projections and  expand and strengthen its
Citizens Oversight Committee.
In all, the jury panel made eight specific recommendations which
require a public response by the SMART board of directors.
In a brief written response the SMART board said, “we are
working to address those obstacles and, as the report indicates,
the decisions made by the Board of Directors over the next six
months will be critical to the success of the project.”
Earlier this year, an advisory committee to SMART raised similar
cautions over pending revenue shortfalls for the $590 million
project due to begin construction early next year. The 70-mile,
14-depot project from Cloverdale to north Marin will provide daily
commuter train service and a parallel bicycle/pedestrian trail. It
is being partially funded by a quarter percent sales tax approved
by voters in Sonoma and Marin counties as Measure Q in 2008.
However, a sluggish economy has produced lower than projected
sales tax revenues. SMART also was to be funded with long-term
bonds, but the current market is too unfavorable to issue the
bonds.
In February, the SMART board acknowledged a $155 million
shortfall in funding and considered new options including a delay
in a portion of the project. It also applied for more regional
transportation funds but was denied by the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission.
“The Grand Jury urges the SMART board to provide the leadership
required to surmount these significant challenges. It has yet to
identify, or even discuss, an alternative to the original plan,”
the report said.
In another significant criticism the jury report said “SMART’s
retirement commitments are overly generous and should be
reconsidered.”
After twice failing at the ballot box due to lower support by
Marin taxpayers, the SMART funding was finally approved in 2008.
The project has always been viewed differently between the two
counties, as noted by the current Grand Jury report.
Major focus should be placed on the “people mover” aspect of the
project and not so much the “ambiance,” they jury report said. “The
voters were sold a safe, efficient and reliable train to reduce
traffic congestion,” the report stressed, while calling deferring
the $91 million bicycle/pedestrian trail.
Delaying the trail is a “ridiculous suggestion” according to
Christine Culver, of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. “I think
there is some sort of bizarre tactics among some people in Marin.
This is a great project and over 70 percent of the voters approved
both the train and the pathway.”
Culver said Measure Q gained a lot of extra support because the
bicycle/pedestrian trail was added.
“We’re pledged to bringing funding to this project and we’ve
been working with the SMART staff all along. We’re on schedule. I
have no doubt we will build this,” Culver said.
The grand jury report also looked at 28 separate transit
agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area and found a cumulative
operating deficit over the next 25 years of $8 billion.
“Considering the foregoing regional scenario and comparing it
with SMART’s projected territory, it is not clear how SMART will be
viable,” the jury report also concluded.