Santa Cruz Officials Back 2 New Rides For Beach Boardwalk

SANTA CRUZ (KPIX 5) – The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is about to look a whole lot different.

The plot of land doesn't look like much now, but when construction is finished, expect to see two new, and much bigger rides. The Boardwalk is currently undergoing a $12 million renovation.

The rides will be called the Typhoon and the Shockwave.

"I think it'll be a really good addition, especially because a lot of the rides here are for the younger kids," Nikki Llobrera of San Jose told KPIX 5. "And it'll be nice to have another one more targeting young adults like us, so we have more options of rides to choose from."

On Thursday night, the city planning commission voted unanimously to approve permits that allow the two rides to exceed zoning height standards.

The Shockwave and Typhoon will be about 20 feet higher than the zoning height limit. But the new rides will still be shorter than the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster.

Shockwave will sit on the roof of the new game and retail building currently under construction. Riders will move back and forth on a half-circle track.

Meanwhile, the Typhoon will have arms that swing riders in a circular motion.

The new rides are set to open next summer.