And in between are the railroad tracks themselves, the steel ribbons that not only run from Marin County north to Eureka, but hold the promise of connecting the 19th century to the 21st in terms of North Bay public transit. The resumption of limited tourist train service between Healdsburg and Willits this summer is a harbinger of the resurrection of the publicly owned railroad, Gambill believes, and expanded excursion services will open a floodgate of other benefits. Political will is the key. That is a big unknown. Local elected officials in Sonoma and Marin are setting the stage for the residents of both counties to vote on a half-cent increase in the sales tax to fund a package of transit improvements that is expected to include widening major portions of Highway 101 and the creation of a commuter rail line between the two counties.
Early indications are mixed.
A poll of North Bay voters in mid-June found more than 70 percent support the transit tax concept in both counties. Significantly, that level of support drops sharply, to below 50 percent, if rail is not part of the package. But much of that enthusiasm for rail appears to be philosophical, as only 14 percent say they expect to ride the rails regularly. Another 50 percent see themselves as occasional users, while 30 percent say they will never ride the train. Getting to that point will require unprecedented cooperation between Sonoma and Marin counties, as well as local business interests and environmental groups, before the final hurdle of a sales tax initiative can be attempted.