06-23-2019, 08:02 PM
(06-23-2019, 05:23 PM)Bureaucromancer Wrote: You understand the PURPOSE of rail-trails is to preserve the corridors?!
Where do you suggest we do OTHER than the trail?
The purpose of rail trails is to be long distance recreational trails. Using rights-of-way that already exist is often an easy way of doing it, easier than trying to establish new routes. Also, railway routes are low slope and usually fairly direct. And the fact that it preserves the existing route is good, but not the actual purpose of building the rail trail.
Having said that, the presence of a trail shouldn’t be an absolute bar to re-installing rails. On the other hand, it should be possible to keep the trail and install rails in most cases — how many railway rights-of-way are so narrow that there is no extra space for a trail? But this will involve more expense, depending on the terrain and other considerations.