The Council of San Benito County Governments has postponed a
feasibility study for bringing a commuter rail line to
Hollister.
The Council of San Benito County Governments has postponed a feasibility study for bringing a commuter rail line to Hollister.
Recently, the COG board chose to put off a vote on applying for a grant through the Federal Transit Administration for nearly $1 million in funding for the rail line.
As part of the requirement for the grant to see if a commuter rail extension from Hollister to the Caltrain station in Gilroy is feasible, COG would have to provide about $240,000 in matching funds.
Several COG directors were hesitant about applying for the grant because they said they had heard that a property owner along the route has the rights to use of the track.
“I want to know if that rumor is true before we go any further,” Supervisor Pat Loe said.
Supervisor Reb Monaco said he had heard the same rumor and that he would also like to have the question cleared up before a vote is taken on the grant.
The funds, if approved, would be used to pay for the costs of preliminary engineering, environmental studies and any other project reports or studies needed to push the proposal through.
Some of the reports the grant would pay for also include a list of alternatives on the number and size of station stops and types of bridge crossings.
There is also a proposal to refurbish the old train depot at the eastern end of Fifth Street and turn it back into a passenger loading and unloading point.
The proposed Hollister extension comes at the same time that Caltrain is also considering extending rail service to Salinas, so it made sense to officials to consider including Hollister.
COG officials authorized staff members to start working on the proposed commuter rail in February 2002, when the board asked staff to look into a “phased-in” approach to creating the rail line.
The acceptance of the new starts grant, which still has to be approved by the COG board, would be the second phase in creating the rail line.
