Re: Gas prices and an increase in cycling?

Steven Scharf wrote:

>> One huge traffic jam over the Santa Cruz Mountains is HWY17 where
>> an existing rail line lies dormant.

> Not much of that line is still existing.  I've mountain biked on
> part of the old right of way, and most of the tracks are gone until
> you get down to Roaring Camp.  During WWII many of the tunnels were
> blown up during WWII when it was feared the Japanese would land in
> Santa Cruz and use the tunnels as bunkers..

The largest hurdle is Lexington reservoir through which the RR grade
leaves Los Gatos and goes from near the bottom of the dam to above
waterline in a matter of a mile.  The tunnel entrances were blasted as
a corps of engineers exercise for the US Army, closing the tunnels
being required by government safety regulations.  The tunnels are
still there and would require refurbishment anyway, being on and near
the San Andreas fault.

http://www.geocities.com/rayhosler/tunnel/tunnel.html

The RR ROW is still there as are the tunnels.  It requires desire,
funds and initiative to get that line running.  My largest worry is
that unless Santa Cruz County institutes a zoning plan, the live in
the woods in shacks, plan will snowball if there is a transit corridor
there to make these properties desirable.  This is an area of dirt
roads with more than a dozen mail boxes at the entrance.  Most houses
are out of sight in the forest.

Jobst Brandt