Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the SMART Train and Pathway, with links to answers below.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
USING THE SMART TRAIN AND PATHWAY
SMART AND THE COMMUNITY
FINANCIAL PLAN
Below are brief answers to frequently asked questions about SMART. If you want more detailed information about any particular question, you can follow the link at the end of each answer.
What is SMART?
SMART is a project to provide transportation alternatives to Highway 101,congestion, rising gas prices, and growing concerns about climate change by restoring passenger train service and building a parallel bicycle-pedestrian pathway in Marin and Sonoma counties. By upgrading the historic Northwestern Pacific rail line, and building a bicycle-pedestrian pathway between Larkspur and Cloverdale, SMART trains will carry more than a million riders each year while reducing our carbon footprint; the pathway will serve even more users. The entity established to carry out this work is the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART).
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How would SMART relieve traffic congestion?
SMART would relieve congestion in three ways: 1) by taking more than a million car trips off the highway every year; 2) by cutting the number of cars that need to park near the workplace; and 3) by encouraging more people to live near city centers where they can drive less. We cannot pave our way out of congestion. Without SMART, Caltrans studies show that most commuters on Highway 101 will be stuck in traffic every day for 20 minutes or more during rush hour even when the planned carpool lanes are finally funded and constructed. SMART gives people a choice of riding instead of driving, and is an important start toward reducing the Region's dependence on the automobile.
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How would SMART improve the environment?
SMART will be much more energy efficient than today's single passenger automobiles and will encourage more people to live near train stations, reducing sprawl and automobile dependency. The 70-mile bicycle-pedestrian pathway portion of the SMART Project will form the backbone for a vigorous network of healthy non-motorized pathways. Because its riders will use less than 1/3 of the energy of people in single-occupant vehicles, SMART is expected to prevent more than 120,000 pounds per day of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere.
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What are the economic benefits of the SMART Project?
A reliable transportation system is essential to a healthy economy. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) requires business to reduce greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020. With 60% of greenhouse gas emissions coming from vehicles, employers will need to reduce the vehicle miles traveled by their employees to be in compliance with this new law. SMART will provide an important means for employees to reduce the emissions generated by commuting by cars. In addition, there is a looming labor shortage due to the retirement of the Baby Boomers, causing the North Bay to have to be in a very competitive environment for a skilled workforce. Long and uncertain commutes cause companies to lose employees and make it harder to recruit qualified people. When people and goods are stuck in traffic, it is more costly to do business. Passenger train service will offer companies in the North Bay important advantages, leading to a more satisfied workforce, and helping employers to comply with AB 32 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Homeowners will also benefit as property values increase when communities have passenger train service and the amenity of the bicycle-pedestrian pathway.
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How does SMART benefit those who won't regularly ride?
Just as schools and libraries benefit the entire community, almost everyone gains from trains and pathways. That is why property values remain strong now in places with good alternatives to cars. Because one railroad track can carry more passengers than three freeway lanes, SMART may enable the North Bay to someday give up its reputation for having one of the most heavily congested corridors in the Bay Area. Also, in the event of a freeway closure, people will have another way to get home and not be stranded away from family and pets.
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What will a SMART train look and sound like?
SMART trains will consist of sleek rail cars like the ones below, and will be quieter than a city bus. Riders will be able to easily bring bicycles and wheelchairs on board, use wireless internet and relax with a snack or a cup of coffee. The train will have two rail cars that will easily fit within a city block, keeping cross streets unobstructed and traffic free flowing.
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Where will SMART's bicycle-pedestrian pathway go?
SMART's companion bicycle-pedestrian pathway will follow the same general route as SMART's passenger trains, including all 14 stations and the 70-mile corridor from Larkspur to Cloverdale. It will provide easy access to rail stations, and become an integral part of the bicycling and walking network of Marin and Sonoma counties. SMART's environmental studies project that it will be used by over 7,000 walkers, joggers, and bicyclists every day.
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Where will SMART stations be?
There will be 14 SMART train stations. SMART plans to restore passenger train service to historic depots in cities such as San Rafael, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Petaluma, and to place new stations at strategic locations in the six other cities along the rail line. Depending upon station size and ridership, the stations will offer electronic ticket booths, bike lockers and retail vendors.
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How would riders get to and from the train stations?
Thousands of people will find that SMART stations are within easy walking or biking distance from their home or office. In addition, SMART is working with bus and ferry operators to assure that schedules and fares mesh with trains. SMART will also have free shuttles at many stations to take train riders to and from office parks, hospitals, schools and shopping areas. As part of their compliance with AB 32, it is expected that businesses will also provide shuttles to and from stations for their employees.
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Using SMART, how would I get to San Francisco?
The fastest and most comfortable way to travel from points north of San Rafael to San Francisco, arriving in the Embarcadero Area, will be via SMART and the Larkspur-San Francisco Ferry. On average, train-ferry riders will arrive in San Francisco ten minutes sooner and more relaxed than those who drive, and they won't need to pay for parking. The SMART connection to the ferry terminal will be a short walk or shuttle ride from the Larkspur train station.
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How does SMART cut the health hazards of motor fuel?
SMART's rail cars will have much lower emissions per passenger mile than those of most buses and single-occupant automobiles. The ultra-low sulfur fuel now in use in California permits diesel engines to actually remove particulates from the atmosphere. This pollution control technology will make SMART trains — on a per-seat basis — easily the cleanest vehicles traveling along the Highway 101 corridor.
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What are the advantages of using rail cars that are self-powered by on-board engines?
The comfort, speed, and efficiency of self-powered rail cars with on-board engines make them ideal for the SMART railway. The 70 miles of single track railway are best utilized with the self-powered rail cars that can run in either direction. Studies that take into account the experience of other systems have ruled out the feasibility of a BART extension, maglev, monorail, or electrification within the next 20-30 years. All of these technologies would cost far more than the estimated $6.3 million per mile cost to restore track to 80 MPH standards and acquire rail cars.
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How long will crossing gates be down when SMART trains cross roads?
The self-powered rail cars will cross streets in just a few seconds, and crossing gates will be closed only about 35 seconds — shorter than most red lights. Because they are only two rail cars long, SMART trains will not block any streets when they are stopped in downtown stations. To allow traffic to move as freely as possible, the railroad crossing gates will be synchronized with regular traffic signals in downtown areas.
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What is SMART's relationship to North Coast Rail Authority (NCRA) freight service?
SMART owns the tracks from Healdsburg to Larkspur Landing. NCRA Freight trains may run on those tracks, provided that they comply with SMART's dispatch priority to avoid interference with passenger service, and pay fees to share maintenance costs of the track. NCRA and SMART are separate government agencies, each with its own board of directors and funding. Unlike SMART, freight trains can run without a vote of the people.
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How do we know the quarter-cent sales tax will cover SMART's costs?
A panel of respected railroad managers has reviewed the costs of constructing the SMART project and retaining a qualified railroad operating company to run the system. The financial plan has been reviewed by experienced financial analysts. The plan reserves 20% of the overall cost to cover any unforeseen contingencies, and there will be a citizen's watchdog committee to review expenditures, and independent audits.
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What is the cost of SMART for individuals?
The average person will pay less than a dollar per week in sales tax for the SMART Project. Train riders will pay a distance-based fare — averaging about $4.50 one way.
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