TPL Negotiates Purchase of Rail Line
By Shane Gilreath
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A proposal to convert a defunct 41-mile, 100-foot-wide rail corridor – running from Oneida through Winona and Norma into Devonia near Frozen Head State Park – into a public walking and biking trail continues to stir debate across Scott County. In the most recent development, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit dedicated to creating parks, conserving natural areas, and expanding public access to green spaces, is currently negotiating to purchase the former rail bed for an estimated $2.5 million.
Advocates of the project say the proposed rail trail could boost tourism, an economic benefit to Scott County, promote outdoor recreation, and preserve the county’s scenic landscape for future generations, but the project faces resistance from nearby landowners. The Scott County Commission, too, twice has offered a vote of non-support – once against the project and, in August, rejecting a proposal to meet with TPL representatives. Both property owners, many whose families have long resided near the tracks, as well as commissioners, argue the plan threatens private property rights and could bring unwanted traffic and liability concerns. Opponents have long expressed fear over trespassing, noise, added crime, and the cost of maintenance that might ultimately fall to taxpayers.
Beyond economics, rail trail conversions have served to preserve historic rail lines. County Mayor Jerried Jeffers, who has been critical of the plan, said in January, “Ultimately, it’s private property, and it’s a private company.”
Local opinion remains deeply divided.
