Goats munch on the brush as the voracious four-legged caprine tribe clears weeds this week along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line near Sumner Avenue in Rio Del Mar. As part of its annual vegetation maintenance program along the line, the county Regional Transportation Commission has enlisted the herd to peruse about 2 miles of the corridor with a mission to rein in overgrown weeds and other potential fire hazards, clear drainage ditches to prevent clogging and potential flood damage, reduce debris that degrades railroad ties and clear invasive growth that impedes visibility and police patrol activities. The locations in Capitola and Aptos along the commission-owned line that are slated for a visit from the goats in the coming days include State Park Drive, Park Avenue, Sumner Avenue and 41s

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