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According to Santa Rosa's mayor, SMART rail should reach Windsor by 2025 and Healdsburg by 2026.
Friday morning, Mayor Chris Rogers said in a Twitter thread that a ruling this week by California's supreme court means $40 million dollars in funding specifically for the extension of the SMART train will soon be available.
Ending a five year legal struggle, the California Supreme Court Wednesday let stand an appeals court decision, essentially ending a case that sought to reclassify voter-approved bridge toll increases as special taxes, which would have required a two-thirds majority.
The case, brought by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, has resulted in nearly half a billion dollars in tolls being held in escrow, rather than being spent on transportation projects.
The money may soon be released.
The Regional Measure 3 lawsuit left a number of projects in limbo, including the promised SMART extension to Windsor and Healdsburg.
Rogers says $120 million dollars is expected to be raised for Sonoma County transportation projects by the measure. North Bay state Senator Mike McGuire says $100 million in funding is designated for improvements to Highway 37.
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