Roaring Camp Attempts to Block Santa Cruz Coastal Trail

A private business, Roaring Camp, is attempting to stop the construction of the Santa Cruz Coastal Trail between Watsonville and Santa Cruz. The company has sent letters to the federal Surface Transportation Board to block the project, an action that jeopardizes more than $100 million in state and federal grant funding already secured for the trail.

The advocacy group Trail Now strongly opposes these efforts and is calling for community support to ensure the project's completion. Parallel to the legal dispute, local residents remain divided over the final design of the trail. Some advocates push for a full rail-to-trail conversion, while others propose a hybrid model that preserves rail functionality to maintain eligibility for future zero-emission passenger rail funding.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County is tasked with voting on the specific construction options for the segment between Santa Cruz and Aptos.