The Journal Star reports that Ray LaHood has given up on converting the Kellar Branch to a dedicated hiking trail in today’s second editorial in as many days on the topic. Quoth Congressman Ray:
“We need to build a trail next to the rail. I don’t think we’re ever going to get the kind of ruling we want” from the Surface Transportation Board.
So now the Journal Star is starting to consider the side-by-side option again. They’ve read the Park District’s estimate on how much it supposedly would cost and accepted it without question. I posited my response to that in the comments section of their website. I’ll quote it here, too:
The Journal Star says: “a park district analysis from July 2006 puts the side-by-side option at an astounding $29 million.”
Astounding indeed. I have a copy of this “analysis,” and it is completely unverifiable. There is no information on what engineering firm (if any) produced this estimate; no information on how they determined costs, materials, or labor; no location information given for the numerous “trestles” they claim are necessary; and no comparison to what the trail would cost if they could remove the rails. If Pioneer had put together an “analysis” as poor as the park district’s, the JSEB would be throwing every pejorative adjective in the thesaurus at it.
“there’s no guarantee that Peoria and Peoria Heights will find a suitable carrier…”
Pioneer is a suitable carrier by any objective measure. The only reason they would be considered unsuitable in your eyes is because they don’t agree with you regarding the rail-to-trail conversion.
“…or that any business besides Carver Lumber will want service.”
There are already two more companies that want service on the Kellar Branch, and the Heights is interested in trolley service on the line.
“The line could continue to lie fallow, covered in weeds and trash.”
Right now, the only reason the line is in that condition is because the City of Peoria is allowing it to remain that way. At present, CIRY has no contract with the city that would allow them to run trains on the line, and the city is still in a dispute with Pioneer over whether their contract is still in force; from the city’s perspective, they have no contract with either carrier. Thus, the responsibility falls to the city to maintain the line and abate the weed problem. Why haven’t they done it?
“Meanwhile, surrounding communities enjoy their bike paths, watching new homes sprout up around them.”
News flash: surrounding communities enjoy new construction for many reasons, including school districts and taxes. Accessibility to bike paths is not high on the priority list when people look for a home, if it’s on the list at all.
Another news flash: There’s no place for homes to “sprout up” along the Kellar Branch because there are already homes and businesses along the entire route — it goes right through the middle of the city.
Give it up, editors.
I should have added this: The Journal Star says, “Trains derail, even slow-moving ones. The poor condition of the Kellar tracks enhances that possibility unless there is substantial investment.” I would venture to say that the chances of being mugged on the trail are greater than the chances of having a train fall on you — unless the city hires Central Illinois Railroad to run the line, in which case the odds are even.
C. J.,
Despite what we tell the JSEB and RTA, they refuse to listen. To save the taxpayers monies from being wasted any further, I say forget the trail and sell the rail line to Pioneer as no one else will buy it. Sell the western connection with it so Growth Cell Two may have a chance at seeing development (despite the lack of infrastructure). CIRY may wish to run it, but you can bet they will not offer to buy it, because that would have happened by now (to use JSEB-style rhetoric).
I’m glad to see Congressman LaHood changing his stance. He may finally recognize that a joint-use right-of-way is the only way a trail will be built. Unfortunately, his change of stance seems to be out of regret that his side seems unlikely to get its way, not because he sees any value in maintaining, er, I mean restoring, competitive rail service to Pioneer Industrial Park and opening it up to Growth Cell Two.
all of the cost that are listed in the PPD or the RTA’s analysis are cost that have to be borne regardless of whether there are tracks or not. All overpasses and approaches have to be done for the trail. Also the trail has to be 14′ wide so all the trestles have to be widened. The PPD is trying to make us think that these cost are only related to the track remaining in place. This is not true, very little of the cost would involved keeping the tracks in place. Tell the truth PPD and RTA, don’t inflate facts and screw them around to suit your own program. Also other grants are available for going out and around the ravines, biking grants are not the only ones out there.