North Carolina Rail Corridor Round Table
Submitted by NC Rail-Trails on July 7, 2009
"Best possible use of the State's rail corridor assets" RCRT met in Raleigh at Bailey & Dixon with conference call on April 27th and June 22nd. Facilitated by NCRT.
- Legislative Watch
HB 116 (Railroad Corridor Management) got through the House and was referred to Senate Judiciary One Committee. Unfortunately requested help from Edgar Miller, lobbyist for CTNC, was not able to get added our concerns, State's Right of first refusal of any abandonment, Public Purpose added to railroad condemnation authority and leasing of state owned railroad easements for trail use. A long shot was suggested that to see if there is a friend on Judiciary One, but are not hopeful for these changes this late in the legislative process. - Corridor Preservation
Mike Domonkos reported efforts around Hendersonville to Brevard are looking pretty good. It is picking up more local support while trying to avoid enflaming the adjacents. Hendersonville, Laurel Park, Flat Rock and the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce have each formally supported the rail-trail effort between Hendersonville and Brevard. The trail is now being called the "Ecusta Trail", a name having significance in Transylvania County. - Corridor Conversion
NCRT had representation at two of the South East High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Trail Concept Public Workshops. SEHSR- Raleigh-Richmond & East Coast Greenway. Initially NCDOT said it was up to local governments to plan for the trail, but now it is being planned by a Trail Coordinator Consultant, Keith Lewis PE with Martin/Alexiou/Bryson PLLC of Raleigh. The trail design will incorporate local trail or greenway plans. NCRT expressed concern that the rail corridor portions not used by the SEHSR be Federally Railbanked to avoid ownership issue caused by state railbanking and leasing law. The Wake Forest greenway system will take the East Coast Greenway out of the rail study area into their own greenway system to connect it to the Neuse River Trail. - Public Policy/Courts/Legal Issues
Pam Davis, NCDOT Rail Division Planner forwarded a notice "PUBLIC & MEDIA ADVISORY: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD TO HOLD JULY 8 PUBLIC HEARING ON IMPACT, EFFECTIVENESS, FUTURE OF RAIL BANKING" she had received from the Surface Transportation Board. NCRT sent a Notice of Comment, authored by Capehart and Domonkos: "Please accept this as a Notice of Intent to participate by written comment in STB Ex Parte No. 690 - Twenty -five years of Rail Banking from North Carolina Rail-Trails, Inc. (NCRT)" (dated June 22, 2009) Copies sent to the Governor, Secretary of Transportation and all NCRT Board Members.
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