Windsor
Track construction at Windsor station in 2023
General information
Location9001 Windsor Road
Windsor, California
Coordinates38°32′52″N 122°49′02″W / 38.5477°N 122.8171°W / 38.5477; -122.8171
ConnectionsBus transport Sonoma County Transit[1]
Bus transport Mendocino Transit Authority
Construction
Structure typeAt grade
History
Openedc. 1900
ClosedNovember 10, 1958
Rebuilt2008[2]
Original companyNorthwestern Pacific Railroad
Services
Preceding station SMART Following station
Terminus Future service Sonoma County Airport
toward Larkspur
Healdsburg
(2027)
toward Cloverdale
Former services
Preceding station Northwestern Pacific Railroad Following station
Healdsburg
toward Eureka
 Main Line Fulton
toward Sausalito
Location
Map

Windsor station is a bus station and future Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train station in Windsor, California. The station serves Sonoma County Transit and Mendocino Transit Authority, with service to Sonoma County Airport station provided by Sonoma County Transit under contract by SMART.[1]

History

The former Windsor station in 1940

The station building was built by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad in the early 1900s.[citation needed] The station last closed to passenger service after November 10, 1958.[3]

In 2008, the station building was rebuilt by the city for $1.4 million ($1.9 million in 2022 adjusted for inflation) as an intermodal station in anticipation of serving passengers on the then-proposed Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) commuter rail line.[2] Service to Windsor Station was not included in the first phase of SMART,[4] which began service as far north as the station near Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in 2017.

Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit is constructing an extension to Windsor, with service further north to Healdsburg station and Cloverdale station in a future phase.[5] The three-mile (4.8 km) extension is expected to cost $55 million: $20 million from Road Repair and Accountability Act funds, $30 million in Regional Measure 3 funds, and a $5 million federal grant. In September 2018, the SMART board approved $24 million in construction contracts, with service to Windsor expected to begin in late 2021 or early 2022.[6][7] In 2020 the project completion was delayed to later in 2022 as funding from a recent bridge toll increase was withheld pending litigation.[8] By spring of 2022 the SMART extension was 30% complete, but the lawsuit related to toll increases as well as a separate suit regarding use of the right-of-way had delayed the station's opening indefinitely.[9][10]

The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2023, freeing up $40 million for SMART, and the agency received a $34 million state grant in February. At that time, SMART intended to wait until June 2023 to determine whether it would have sufficient funding to combine a further extension to Healdsburg with the completion of the Windsor extension. If the full $113 million in additional grants is received, Windsor service would begin in 2025 or 2026, and Healdsburg service by 2027.[11] In June 2023, the agency received a $30 million state grant, sufficient to complete the Windsor extension.[12] Construction resumed in late 2023 with an expected opening date of 2025.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b Moore, Derek (July 14, 2017). "Sonoma County adds bus routes designed to serve SMART train users". The Press Democrat. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Fimrite, Peter (April 18, 2008). "Windsor rebuilds depot sans train". Hears Communications. San Francisco Gate. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Train makes last run". San Francisco Examiner. November 11, 1958. p. 13. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  4. ^ Moore, Derek (April 12, 2016). "SMART seeking funding to extend rail line to Windsor". Sonoma Media Investments. The Press Democrat. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  5. ^ MOORE, DEREK (April 7, 2017). "Sonoma County roads, bridges, public transit among uses for new California road tax". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  6. ^ Fixler, Kevin (September 19, 2018). "SMART to begin work on extension of commuter rail to Windsor". Press Democrat.
  7. ^ Fixler, Kevin (July 15, 2020). "SMART makes progress toward late 2021 opening of Windsor extension". The Press Democrat. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  8. ^ Fixler, Kevin (February 4, 2021). "SMART delays completion of $65 million Windsor extension to 2022". North Bay Business Journal. The Press Democrat. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  9. ^ Graham, Andrew (June 18, 2021). "SMART gets money for crucial Healdsburg bridge, but lawsuits blocking construction drag on". Press Democrat. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Murphy, Emma (May 14, 2022). "Drought, affordability, transit drive race for 4th District Sonoma County supervisor". Press Democrat. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Graham, Andrew (February 2, 2023). "SMART receives additional $34 million through state during a week of good news for the passenger train". The Press Democrat.
  12. ^ "California awards SMART $30 million to complete two extensions". Progressive Railroading. July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  13. ^ Rodriguez, Adrian (November 24, 2023). "SMART restarts work on long-awaited Windsor extension". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2024.

External links


Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit
Categories