After years of seemingly stalled out negotiations, SMART and the city of Santa Rosa may be on track for an agreement on the contentious Jennings Crossing by the end of 2025.
At a hearing in San Francisco last week, both parties told the California Public Utilities Commission that they believe a resolution over liability concerns associated with the crossing is close at hand. The CPUC required joint progress reports in November, with an understanding that an agreement would be brought to both the Santa Rosa City Council and the SMART Board of Directors for approval by December.
With that agreement in hand, construction on the project could be completed within 24-30 months, said Santa Rosa Assistant City Manager Jason Nutt.
The crossing, technically greenlighted by the CPUC 10 years ago, would allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the SMART tracks, which currently bisect Jennings Avenue just south of the North Santa Rosa SMART station. Right now, to legally cross the tracks, residents of the neighborhood must take a half-mile detour on either Guerneville Road or College Avenue – two of the city’s most dangerous streets. Residents have continually expressed overwhelming support for the Jennings Crossing, and SCBC has supported it since the beginning.
The project, which was last discussed publicly at a meeting of the Santa Rosa City Council in April 2024, has been delayed largely over questions of liability. SMART has long argued that the Jennings Crossing is unsafe, despite numerous other at-grade crossings along the railroad. SMART General Manager Eddy Cumins reiterated his concerns about safety at last week’s hearing, but also said that if SMART could reach an agreement regarding liability with the city of Santa Rosa he would not let personal feelings get in the way.
“I will take that and I would recommend it to my Board of Directors,” Cumins said.