CEO Report - Corey Aldridge, SC Metro CEO

ADOPTION OF SANTA CRUZ METRO’S FINAL FY26 AND FY27 OPERATING

BUDGETS AND FY26 CAPITAL BUDGET PORTFOLIO - Chuck Farmer, CFO

Consolidated Grants Call for Projects Presentation

In its capacity as the state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA), the RTC is responsible for selecting projects to receive certain federal and state funds employing a competitive and performance-based selection process reflecting Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) priorities. Approved projects are programmed in the RTC's Regional Transportation Improvement Program. To achieve this, the RTC conducts a consolidated grants process and the call for projects is expected to be issued on June 30, 2025. Applications will be due on September 15, 2025. The RTC approved criteria that will be used to evaluate projects and guide project sponsors, and which include Access for All, Safety and Health, System Preservation/Infrastructure, System Performance, Climate Change and Resiliency, and Equity.

Staff expects between $10-17 million to be made available this funding cycle from the region's formula share of state and federal funds. Funding sources will include the 2026 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), the 2024 Local Partnership Program (LPP-f), and the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)/Regional Surface Transportation Program Exchange (RSTPX)

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

ZEPRT Update - Commissioner comments continued

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

ZEPRT Update - Commissioner Questions

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

ZEPRT Update - Next Steps

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

ZEPRT Update - HDR Update on Cost and Ridership

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

ZEPRT Update - Project Intro

Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail Project Update

Following a presentation by Riley Gerbrandt, Associate Engineer and Mark McLaren, Project Manager from HDR, Inc., the Commission discussed the results of Milestone 4 in the development of the project concept report. The Draft Project Concept Executive Summary was included in the report and posted to the website as an Attachment to item 31. The full Concept Report, expected later this summer, will include the Project Purpose and Need, Conceptual Project Definition, Transit Ridership and Revenue Forecast, Station Locations and Access, Conceptual Rail and Trail Alignments, Rail Operations Plan and Vehicle Type, Conceptual Rail Transit Station and Layover and Maintenance Facility Locations, Conceptual Passenger and Freight Rail Interface Assessment, Railroad Bridge Assessment and Network Infrastructure, Conceptual Project Cost Estimates, Environmental Screening, Funding and Regulatory Strategy, and Public Engagement Findings. The virtual open house for Milestone 4 went live on June 12, 2025.

The Commission directed staff to prepare and present a financial report utilizing the data in the project concept report to calculate the amount required to cover 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of capital costs and cover 100% of operations and maintenance costs with local funds, and provide a table of taxes that could provide such local funds.

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

Caltrans Report

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85

Director Report

The full agenda and highlights are here:

https://www.sccrtc.org/meetings/regional-transportation-commission/agendas/

The video from Community TV is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRZ52uJW8KW1xLX7iizMk85