Healdsburg Depot will be site of transportation hub

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors this week reached agreement on the construction and operation of a Healdsburg Intermodal Facility at the site of the historic , to accommodate carpoolers, local and intercity bus transit services, and future commuter rail service provided by SMART.

Under terms of the agreement, the county will contribute $194,000 toward upgrading the depot, according to Sonoma County Board of Supervisors spokesman Jim Leddy.

“This hub will provide a vital link to the future SMART system and create connection to tremendous economic development opportunities for the City of Healdsburg,” said Fourth District Supervisor and former Healdsburg City Councilman

The action, taken April 26, is a Cooperative Agreement with the and the , developed as a model for future facilities throughout the County. The Healdsburg City Council approved the agreement in May 2009, and the followed in July 2009. Completion of the project is expected in summer 2012.

There are two phases in the project, with Sonoma County managing the construction of a 47-vehicle Park and Ride for county bus line passengers on the depot site, and a footpath from the depot site to Healdsburg Avenue.

There, at the five-way intersection with Mill and Vine streets, the path will connect with the adjacent to the SMART right-of-way along the railroad tracks.

For its part, the City of Healdsburg agreed to fully fund the second part of the project with a pedestrian path on from the depot to Front Street, to facilitate pedestrian access to .

Eventually, SMART will provide improvements specifically needed to support its operations such a passenger boarding platforms, information signage, and ticket kiosks.

Specific funding information given in the press release from the County of Sonoma includes the following:

“Sonoma County Transit will construct Phase IA improvements which include the Park & Ride lot and the pedestrian path described above," the release said. " The project is largely funded with Federal Transit Administration funds, whose 20 percent local match is provided by the City of Healdsburg.

"Sonoma County Transit will use local Transit Development Act (TDA) funds to provide a 15 percent contingency for construction," the release said. "Phase I’s estimated construction cost is $1,303,000.”

 “It is a really exciting day to have this completed and the project moving forward,”  McGuire said.

The SMART project, has been cut into phases due to budget shortfalls. The first phase was shortened to

Later phases will add on more