INC NEWS - Rail to Trail Action Opportunities
Mike - Hotmail
mwshiflett at hotmail.com
Tue May 17 10:06:05 EDT 2005
Rail-Trail Action Alert
Norfolk -Southern and NCDOT have entered negotiations for purchase of the rail corridor that stretches from downtown Durham to Timberlake in Person County! Cost isn't yet settled. NCDOT has agreed to pick up 50% of the cost, but Durham County & City must contribute 25% each. Both the County and City have earmarked funds in their 2005/2006 budgets for their match, but nothing is final until the budgets are approved (The county closes the budget May 28, the City by mid-June).
The city has also requested federal funds to help with the local match; Congressman Price has asked for about $2M. This appropriation still has to survive in Senate and/or conference committee.
If purchased, the corridor could be used for interim trail use. Combined with the <http://www.triangletrails.org>American Tobacco Trail & the <http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/parks/trails.cfm>North-South greenway, the area would have a system that is over 40 miles long. What's more, this system could become a portion of the <http://www.greenway.org>East Coast Greenway!
It could also eventually provide the rail corridor needed for an extension of the planned TTA Regional Rail system. A rail with trail, successful in other parts of the country could be easily established on this corridor.
We need to convince local officials to do what they can to make this purchase happen, hopefully this year. We need to let our US Senators know about the project. Please review the attached document for more information and a list of contact names/talking points. For your convenience, this document is copied below in text form. They go down from top to bottom in order of time sensitivity. Please send out some emails or make some calls to our officials today.
Thank you for your support and your help with this. Please contact me if you have any questions or need more information about the 'Timberlake Trail'.
Regards,
Dan Clever
<http://triangletrails.org/>Triangle Rails-to-Tralls Conservancy
919-286-3827
<mailto:dclever1 at nc.rr.com>dclever1 at nc.rr.com
DURHAM-TIMBERLAKE RAIL CORRIDOR
(Duke/Downtown Beltline, Timberlake Trail)
Talking Points and Contacts
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
5/10/2005
Background:
Norfolk -Southern wants to sell the downtown Durham to Timberlake rail corridor. Cost isn't yet settled. NCDOT has agreed to pick up 50% of the cost, but Durham County & City must contribute 25% each.
Durham County has placed an earmark for $1.5M in their draft 2006-2015 Capital Improvement Program ('CIP'). The CIP and 2005/2006 budget will be finalized May 28. The City has placed $1M in its draft CIP for '501 corridor'. It will finalize its 2005/2006 budget in June. Federal funds will help with the local match; Congressman Price has asked for about $2M. This appropriation still has to survive in Senate or conference committee.
If purchased, the corridor could be used for interim trail use. Combined with the American Tobacco Trail & the North-South greenway, the area would have a system that is over 40 miles long. What's more, this system could become a portion of the East Coast Greenway! www.greenway.org/
<http://www.ridetta.org/Home/index.html>TTA has also expressed interest in using the corridor for commuter rail between downtown and Treyburn. If this occurs, we would suggest a 'rail with trail' combination on that segment.
Who we are:
Beginning in the 80s, <http://triangletrails.org/>Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy ('TRTC') has advocated for the preservation and modification of the rail corridor that has become the American Tobacco Trail ('ATT'). The ATT will eventually link 3 counties and stretch 22 miles. TRTC is actively promoting its completion.
Check out our website: <http://www.triangletrails.org/>www.triangletrails.org/
What happens if local and state governments don't purchase the corridor soon?
Based on experiences with the ATT, adjacent landowners will want to purchase pieces of the corridor very soon. If this happens, the corridor (and a golden opportunity) will be lost.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of Durham:
Status:
$1M placed in draft CIP for '501 Rail corridor' for local match. Most of this will be funded by bond. Second public hearing set for June. Approval final in June.
Talking Points:
1 Briefly explain the rare opportunity we have to obtain a 20+ mile corridor, which could link neighborhoods/communities in Durham & Person counties, promote tourism, support downtown revitalizati and provide alternate transportation.
2 Urge the city to maintain this amount in the CIP and its 2005/2006 budgetin case federal monies are cut short.
3 Ask the city to consider ways to fund design and development of an interim use trail.
Contacts:
Bill Bell Mayor <mailto:bbell at ci.durham.nc.us>bbell at ci.durham.nc.us
Cora Cole-McFadden Mayor Pro Tem <mailto:ccole-mcfadden at ci.durham.nc.us>ccole-mcfadden at ci.durham.nc.us
Howard Clement, III <mailto:hclement at ci.durham.nc.us>hclement at ci.durham.nc.us
Thomas Stith, III <mailto:tstith at ci.durham.nc.us>tstith at ci.durham.nc.us
John Best Jr <mailto:jpbestjr at aol.com>jpbestjr at aol.com
Eugene Brown <mailto:ebrown at ci.durham.nc.us>ebrown at ci.durham.nc.us
Diane Catotti <mailto:diane.catotti at durhamnc.gov>diane.catotti at durhamnc.gov
All at once <mailto:council at ci.durham.nc.us>council at ci.durham.nc.us
be sure to CC: Patrick Baker City Mgr. <mailto:patrick.baker at durhamnc.gov>patrick.baker at durhamnc.gov
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US Senate:
Status:
Committees have considered Senate appropriations for transportation bill. Need to let our delegation know about the corridor and to support the earmarks placed by Congressman Price. Bill could be finalized by May 31!
Talking Points:
1 Briefly explain the rare opportunity we have to obtain a 20+ mile corridor, which could link neighborhoods/communities in Durham & Person counties, promote tourism, support downtown revitalization and provide alternate transportation.
2 Ask Senator Dole/Burr to support funding for purchase of the Durham-Timberlake rail corridor.
3 Ask Senator Dole/Burr to support funding to complete the American Tobacco Trail.
Contacts:
Elizabeth Dole-R <http://dole.senate.gov/>http://dole.senate.gov/ (202) 224.6342 <http://www.congress.org>www.congress.org
Richard Burr-R <http://burr.senate.gov/>http://burr.senate.gov/ (202) 224-3154 <http://www.congress.org>www.congress.org
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Durham County:
Status:
Line item in draft CIP for $1.5M. This would be part of the local match to purchase the corridor. Commissioners will conclude budget approval process May 28!
Talking Points:
1 Thank the County for incorporation of the local match in the CIP.
2 Ask the county to consider ways to fund design and development of an interim use trail.
Contacts:
Ellen Reckhow Chair <mailto:ereckhow at aol.com>ereckhow at aol.com
Becky Heron Vice Chair <mailto:bmheron at co.durham.nc.us>bmheron at co.durham.nc.us
Lewis Cheek <mailto:lcheek at co.durham.nc.us>lcheek at co.durham.nc.us
Phillip R Cousin, Jr <mailto:prcousin at earthlink.net>prcousin at earthlink.net
Michael Page <mailto:mpage at co.durham.nc.us>mpage at co.durham.nc.us
All at once <mailto:commissioners at co.durham.nc.us>commissioners at co.durham.nc.us
or contribute to the budget forum at the Durham County website <http://www.co.durham.nc.us>www.co.durham.nc.us
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US House (Howard Coble-R, 6th District):
Status:
Rep. Coble sits on the Transportation Committee of the US House. He's NC's senior member on this committee. His support could be of use if the transportation bill goes to conference committee.
Talking Points:
1 Briefly explain the rare opportunity we have to obtain a 20+ mile corridor, which could link neighborhoods/communities in Durham & Person counties, promote tourism, support downtown revitalization and provide alternate transportation.
2 Ask Rep. Coble to support this corridor and the ATT.
Contact:
Howard Coble <http://coble.house.gov>http://coble.house.gov 202-225-3065
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
Status:
NCDOT is in negotiations with NS and has agreed to pay 50% of the final cost of the corridor. If acquired, NCDOT would railbank the corridor and protect it from development. As with the ATT, NCDOT would then lease portions of the corridor to local governments for management.
Talking Points:
1 Thank NCDOT for its interest in purchasing the corridor and preserving it. 2 Ask NCDOT to place the Durham to Timberlake corridor within the Rail Corridor Preservation Policy.
3 Encourage NCDOT to work with Person County to preserve the corridor up to Roxboro and beyond.
Contact:
Nina Szlosberg Board Member <mailto:napro1 at earthlink.net>napro1 at earthlink.net Board of Transportation
Steve Head Staff Engineer <mailto:wshead at dot.state.nc.us>wshead at dot.state.nc.us Rail Division
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US House (David Price-D, 4th District):
Status:
Rep. Price placed $2M in transportation bill for ATT, about $2M for Timberlake corridor. Could be impacted by reductions to overall spend for Transportation Bill or extractions done in conference committee.
Talking Points:
1 Express thanks to Rep. Price for placing these items in the Transportation Bill (TEA-LU).
2 Ask Rep. Price for continued support to this corridor and the ATT.
Contacts:
David Price <http://price.house.gov/>http://price.house.gov/ 202-225-1784
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