Rails with trails?
Now comes word that the Katy Trail will be extended another 46 miles west toward Kansas City along the old Rock Island Railroad, currently owned by Ameren. The utility company has agreed to allow construction of the trail along its right-of-way as partial compensation for the damage caused to Johnson Shut-ins State Park after the 2005 collapse of the Taum Sauk Reservoir.
But there's a catch. This isn't a rail-to-trail conversion; Ameren still hopes to eventually use the Rock Island line for freight traffic. Instead, the trail will be constructed next to the rails, but within the railroad right-of-way. This is billed as a "rails with trails" project.
This project is a mixed blessing. The extension could possibly be challenged in court by adjacent landowners arguing that the parallel trail does not serve a "railroad purpose" under state law and shouldn't use the right-of-way.
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt has used this extension project as a rationale for not spending state money to save the Boonville Railroad Bridge. In a recent statement, Blunt argued that the state should focus on completing the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Kansas City and not waste time with Boonville. Even though Ameren will foot most (but not all) of the bill, this "rails with trails" project will remain rather expensive since a new trail -- and bridges -- must be constructed from scratch.
The good news, at least, is that Ameren still intends to bring the Rock Island line back into service (not just this 46 miles, but the entire route through Missouri). While the right-of-way has fallen into disrepair and some overpasses have been removed, the tunnels and large bridges are still intact and could be saved.