The folks against ever having rail service in our county (call them Train Never) are pushing to get the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) to abandon the current Rail Trail plan and pull up the tracks.

Even though a quarter of the 32-mile Rail Trail has been funded, the Train Never folks got RTC to agree to review other options in return for not opposing Measure D. At the September RTC meeting they got the commission to fast track a review of removing the tracks. At the meeting on December 8^th, the RTC gets its first look at what abandoning the tracks will involve.

It’s a long list. RTC staff lists 13 steps, everything from getting state and federal approval to doing new environment reviews. You can delve into the details (pages 54-63 of RTC staff report) here. Each of these steps will take from a year, to three or five years. The end result will be years of delay in getting the trail built – and perhaps jeopardize even the quarter of it scheduled to be open by 2018.

It is an open question what impact this will have on the 9 miles of trail already funded and being designed – and on a pending grant for the design and engineering of the segments from the Boardwalk to 17^th Avenue. We’ve asked RTC to address these and other questions – you can read our list of questions here.

The Land Trust position has always been to build the rail trail ASAP and leave the rail option in place. With a quarter already funded and $85 million now available with the passage of Measure D, we could have it all done within 10 years – and then see if rail is a viable solution to the county’s traffic problems. Our position is here.

You can support this position by signing a petition urging RTC to stick with the plan and not abandon the rail option. Friends of the Rail and Trail initiated this petition and we’re glad to pass it on. Sign it here.

We could have the rail trail built in ten years – or spend ten years or more trying for forever kill the rail option and delay the trail in the process.