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The cub scouts are doing my bidding!


KrAzY

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I have the troop of scouts going through the hood getting signatures for a new bike path. The nearest one in our area is 15min away and evey street that leads to it is a major road kids should not ride on. 

 

The plan is to have a bike path use the old rail system that has been non working now for a year... 

 

We already have 150 signatures, and are looking at trying to get 500 total... 

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Should your effort get rolling, make a quick check on the deed(s) to the railroad property.  Often property owners deeded land to a railroad but the deeds carried a condition that if the railroad ever went bankrupt or out of business the land would revert back to the property owners.

 

Once that happens, it's extremely difficult to gather up the necessary land all over again to create the path.

 

Good luck though, I hope you and the scouts can make it happen!

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The scouts were on a roll today. They got another 100 signature's. I will be dropping off a few blank forms at the LBS's to see if they can get more for us.

The head scout master is the one that started the campaign. I'm just the ringleader of the midgets on patrol.

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I hope so also, it would add a lot of good riding for the kids to be safer, and also the elders for a good place to walk. 

It is just too busy and dangerous on our streets for anyone wanting a safe ride when you are not in the city.  

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Yup...but TK is correct about the right-of-way thing. Wasn't there a big to-do about the Elroy Sparta trail a few years back...some of the property owners that had ceded the right of way wanted their property back. It may have been a different R to T but I thought it was Elroy.

 

Does Wilton still have the turtle day celebration? that was fun.

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I'm not sure about the turtle day thingy... actually I never heard of it before... 

 

I would be surprised if people do not want the rails to trails touching their property... I could only see the raising of property value if you have an easy access to it.. I know I was told just being within a 2 min walk would be more wanted for the selling of a house... Plus the noisy trains would not be there if they ever decided to try and open the rail system again down the line. 

 

I will have to look into the treaty encroaching  thing.. 

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I'm not sure about the turtle day thingy... actually I never heard of it before... 

 

I would be surprised if people do not want the rails to trails touching their property... I could only see the raising of property value if you have an easy access to it.. I know I was told just being within a 2 min walk would be more wanted for the selling of a house... Plus the noisy trains would not be there if they ever decided to try and open the rail system again down the line. 

 

I will have to look into the treaty encroaching  thing.. 

 

In most cases people have become used to the right-of-way falling into disuse and becoming dormant as the railroad falls into bankruptcy and ceases operations.  They don't like the idea of a bunch of complete strangers passing so close to their property, and many feel the proximity of so many strangers compromises their safety.

 

In reality, what often happens is the right-of-way use becomes uncontrolled because the railroad doesn't maintain or police it anymore.  Fourwheelers, snowmobilers, parties, and sometimes even drug dealers start using the property.  It soon becomes overgrown and can attract 'undesirable' elements from the community since they can behave as they wish without too much concern of consequences.  Eventually the property owners have to band together and start maintaining the right-of-way collectively or put up with turmoil.

 

If the property from the right-of-way reverts back to them that makes their lots bigger, and of course, possibly open to a re-assessment for higher taxes.

 

Should a rail trail organization take over the property, the 'undesirable' elements stay away because there's too many people and too much visibility of their behavior from people using the trail.  The trail is neatly maintained.  Some rail trail organizations set up 'ambassadors' who regularly ride the trail and report on conditions that need repair or on suspicious activity in and around the trail.

 

I'd suggest you get out in front of this by writing a letter to the local paper about the how a rail trail would benefit the residents, and start appearing at local government meetings as part of the 'privilege of the floor' to state the positives of creating a trail. 

 

Once you get the signatures, set up a meeting at a local church or in conjunction with a local government and send an invitation to every property owner that abuts the present right-of-way.  You will need to show them how a trail is to their benefit, will enhance their property values, and will make their properties safer than an abandoned right-of-way. 

 

Invite them to bring their questions, comments, and suggestions.  Record every single one, no matter how trivial or impractical it seems.  Develop a mail/email list and keep them informed as thing progress.  It's hard work, but not as hard as fighting rumors, false information, and angry property owners.

 

You've got a better chance of pulling this off by tying the Scouts into it as you already have.  (Kinda hard to 'hate on' the Boy Scouts and a project they're trying to accomplish.)  If you can also tie in other community groups that would also benefit from the trail then you'll increase your chances even more.

 

It's a unique opportunity to influence your community by reclaiming something that's been abandoned, and will probably fall into disuse and neglect.  My best wishes for your success!

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