The Santa Fe City Council's decision to withhold approval of proposed traffic control measures for construction of the Rail Runner Express commuter train could have serious financial implications to the state, a project official said Wednesday.
Councilors voted 6-2 Wednesday evening to postpone taking action on three measures dealing with infrastructure improvements needed to bring the Rail Runner to Santa Fe.
Citing concerns over the scope of the state's responsibility for existing infrastructure deficiencies, several councilors said they want more information before taking up the issue again May 14.
But state officials expressed frustration, pointing out after Wednesday's vote that $250 million of the $400 million Rail Runner extension project is already being spent in Santa Fe.
Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, the agency overseeing the Rail Runner project, said the state already has a contract in place to begin the traffic control measures needed to lay the train tracks across nine busy Santa Fe roads.
Now, Rael said, that contract will have to be re-examined.
Members of a City Council subcommittee had asked last week for more assurances from the state before granting final approval of traffic-control measures slated to be implemented this summer.
Though officials presented a five-page letter from Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught in which she pledged that the Department of Transportation will provide 75 percent of the funding for the first year of Rail Runner operations, councilors apparently weren't swayed.
Of particular concern to councilors was the state's stance that it will pay for either two traffic improvements deemed necessary or a station stop near the intersection of St. Francis Drive and Zia Road, but not both.
"This is the first I'm hearing that one takes the place of the other," Councilor Matthew Ortiz said.
But Chris Blewett, the director of transportation and planning for the Mid-Region Council of Governments, said the state never promised to pay for both.
"The state never committed to fixing those (problems)," Blewett said. "Those are existing deficiencies."
Local officials have approved four area train stations, with more stations to potentially be added later. By working with state counterparts, they also came up with a schedule to stagger how the track is built in order to minimize impact to local drivers.
However, that schedule will likely have to be changed now. And with state officials hoping to begin train service between Santa Fe and Albuquerque by the end of the year, state officials have little appetite for delay.
Rael said he realizes "leveraging" often occurs between different levels of government, but he voiced frustration with the council's vote.
Mayor David Coss also warned against postponement, saying a history of state government reallocating money originally intended for Santa Fe after local bickering could happen again.
But the majority of councilors disagreed, saying it's imperative the body give thorough review to the state's plans in order to look out for the best interests of Santa Feans.
Said Councilor Patti Bushee, "Nobody wants to be railroaded."
