PD Editorial: Moving ahead on parallel tracks

After a series of disappointing developments, SMART delivered some welcome news for a change on Thursday.

In a nutshell: The bids for the first phase of construction came in so far below estimates that SMART is prepared to add back two stations and 1? miles of service. This means that the truncated line will end at the north Santa Rosa station at Guerneville Road instead of at Railroad Square as first envisioned.

The Atherton Avenue station in northern Novato, which had been taken out of plans for the first segment connecting Santa Rosa and San Rafael, will be added back in as well.

In addition, SMART is pursuing a new option for rebuilding the problematic bridge over Novato Creek, an area prone to flooding that could jeopardize train operations. Engineers have identified a repair method that, if given the green light by the Marin County Flood Control District, would allow the bridge to be replaced sooner rather than later and at far less cost than originally projected.

If the SMART board approves the bids as expected on Monday, construction could begin as soon as Tuesday.

All of this could not have come at a better time for the commuter rail line as some residents had come to question whether they would ever see the day construction would begin, let alone when a commuter train would be rolling along the tracks.

This also will be an immediate boost for the North Bay economy, as SMART officials conservatively project that this $103 million project will create some 900 jobs. How many of those jobs will go to North Bay residents is expected to be made more clear at Monday's meeting. But SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian says hiring local workers has been a priority during negotiations.

What's also positive is that this phase of construction is not tied, at least for the time being, to the fate of the RepealSMART effort.

Mansourian says that this first phase, which involves rebuilding existing track and installing new track, ties and switches, will be funded primarily through state and federal transportation funds, grants and other resources.

Future phases will be dependent on proceeds from the December sale of bonds. Those funds have been put in an escrow account pending the outcome of the effort to repeal the quarter-cent sales tax that supports SMART.

This essentially means the future of the rail line is moving ahead on parallel tracks. One involves actual construction and movement toward the day that Sonoma and Marin residents have the option, for the first time in a half-century, to ride a train from Santa Rosa to San Rafael and points south.

The other track is heading toward a dead-end for SMART.

Many unknowns revolve around the repeal effort, the biggest being how many valid signatures opponents will be turning in at the end of the month and whether their effort will qualify for the ballot. Given the disagreements over how many signatures are needed and whether the petitions should have included the title and summary approved by SMART, it's likely that all of this is headed to court.

For now, board members are taking the right approach in forging ahead with construction rather than awaiting the outcome of the repeal effort. Doing otherwise would be giving this ill-considered effort more credibility than it deserves.

On Thursday, SMART officials also unveiled its new construction sign that says, "There is a train coming to town."

Let's hope so.