Tacoma’s Prairie Line Might Become Trail

BNSF and Tacoma are in complex negotiations currently to transfer ownership of the railroad's "Prairie Line" to the City, in exchange for the closure of a dangerous road crossing near the waterfront. If completed, this unused right-of-way could become part of a comprehensive trail system that cuts through the UW Tacoma campus.

The Prairie Line is the oldest line in Tacoma, being part of the original Northern Pacific route to the waterfront.

Tacoma Wants to Buy BNSF's Prairie Line

Tacoma sees benefits in this unused line that runs through the UW-Tacoma campus, for use as a trail. The proposal, in its first stages, could benefit a lot of people in terms of mobility.

MILW Trestle Getting New Deck for Trail

Peninsula Daily News recently reported that an old railroad trestle will get new life as Discovery Trail link. Volunteers from the Peninsula Trail Coalition will deck the near 100-year old structure with concrete and add to the constantly expanding trail that is built on portions of what used to be The Milwaukee Road's 14th Subdivision.

I rode portions of this old right-of-way back in the 90s on a bicycle. It's a shame that no trains run out that way anymore, because a ride up the Olympic Peninsula would be beautiful. Thankfully the Peninsula Train Coalition is accomplishing the next best thing by restoring much of the right-of-way to pedestrian and bicycle use.

Eastside Corridor Sale Approved

King County signed over the rights for purchasing the Woodinville Subdivision to the Port of Seattle yesterday:

Rail corridor plan approved

It's not over yet, but on its way. The line needs to be purchased by December 31, 2007, otherwise BNSF will offer it to private buyers. I'm not surprised, because BNSF announced they wanted to sell the line at least 4 years ago. What yesterdays paperwork does is clear the way for public ownership of the line, by an agency that can afford it. How it is used - or even dissected - in the future is still up in the air. But by the end of the year at least it should be safe from being developed into condos etc.