Sonoma Marin Rail Transit DEIR Chapter 2 Project Description
Chapter 2: Project Description 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The SMART District is proposing implementation of passenger rail service along an approximately 70- mile existing rail corridor extending from Cloverdale in Sonoma County, California to a ferry terminal located in Larkspur, Marin County, California. The rail corridor, commonly known as the Northwestern Pacific Railroad or NWP, generally parallels Highway 101 running north-south in Sonoma and Marin counties. The NWP corridor is owned by the SMART District from Milepost (MP) 68.22 in Healdsburg to the Ignacio Wye at MP 26.96 in Novato. North of Healdsburg, the NWP is owned by the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA). South of Novato to MP 11.4 in Corte Madera, the NWP is owned by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD), with a small segment owned jointly by the GGBHTD, the County of Marin, and the Marin County Transit District. SMART is in the process of acquiring ownership of the segments of the NWP south of Novato. This chapter summarizes the project objectives, purpose, and need; describes existing transportation characteristics of the project corridor and the history of development of the proposed project; provides a detailed description of the physical project components; and defines the estimated project implementation costs. This project description establishes the basis for the environmental analysis presented in Chapter 3. 2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES, PURPOSE AND NEED The need for a diverse, multimodal transportation system within Sonoma and Marin counties is reflected in the growing congestion, travel times and delays on Highway 101, especially during peak travel periods.
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