Contract To Be Awarded for First Phase of SMART

The is expected to approve a $103 million contract Monday for the construction of the rail project between Santa Rosa and San Rafael.

to build the first phase of the project, SMART's general manager Farhad Mansourian said.

The SMART district also said the first phase of the project has been extended an additional 1.5 miles north to include service to a north
Santa Rosa station on Guerneville Road and the repair of the Novato Creek Bridge.

The Guerneville Road station is near the Coddingtown mall and near several apartment complexes.

Also included in the first phase is a train station in north Novato at Atherton Avenue.

The first phase of the rail line will run 38.5 miles between downtown San Rafael and the north Santa Rosa station.

SMART Vice-Chair Judy Arnold said the construction contract the
board will consider Monday morning at its meeting in Santa Rosa "gets more done for less money."

Mansourian said if the board approves the contract Monday, construction will start the next day.

Voters in both counties approved a one-quarter percent sales tax to help finance the project.

RepealSMART has until Jan. 27 to gather signatures on petitions to
repeal the tax and put it on the ballot this year, most likely in November.

The question of whether RepealSMART needs 15,000, 30,000 or 39,000 signatures is still under dispute and may be decided in court.

By Bay City News Service