SMART draft budget highlights ridership, rail extensions

Increasing ridership through expanded rail, path and service offerings is a major priority for Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit in the next fiscal year, officials said.

The agency’s draft spending plan, expected to be released Friday, estimates about $120.28 million in revenues and $141.07 million in expenditures for passenger rail service.

The budget highlights some big capital investments to lay miles of new track north to Windsor and beyond. It calls for paving new bicycle and pedestrian connections along the rail line...