Reply to Rock Island Trail Info meeting

Plans for the Rock Island Trail--a planned new 200+ mile trail along the Rock Island RR corridor, is moving forward in your part of the state.
You're probably wondering what is going--what is the timetable, what are the details, how will it affect communities along the trail?
Thursday, Jan 22nd in Westphalia is your chance to find out the details and ask questions:
Rock Island RR/Rock Island Trail Informational Meeting
Hosted by Rep. Tom Hurst
Thursday, January 22, 6:00 pm
Westphalia Knights of Columbus Hall

Ray who is our cub reporter to go and report back?

I am going to try to attend. I think that anyone who supports this trail, and can attend, should. Based on comments on the comments on the Jeff City News Tribune forum I suspect people who don't support the trail will be there. If I am able to attend, I will be glad to report back to bikekatytrail.com forum users on what I learn.

Thanks, Cathy. I would like to attend but I am out of town. As for the naysayers, tell them to talk to the many successful businesses along the formerly empty Katy section!

Well, it was an interesting meeting. As you might guess, most people there were property owners that oppose the Rock Island Trail. There were a few people that spoke up in favor of the trail (I was one) but most were opposed because it impacts them personally. You could tell there were people that didn't speak up that support this trail. For example when people spoke passionately against tax dollars being used on this trail, someone spoke up and said they don't oppose their tax dollars spent on bike trails.

My thoughts: my husband and I farmed for 10 years in southeast Missouri, and have lived in rural areas and have experienced that lifestyle. But I really don't think people at tonight's meeting that oppose this trail have experienced the benefits of biking a rail to trail bike trail. As long as we see this as two opposing camps fighting over this issue, the outcome may not make either side happy.

Many comments by those against the trail convinced me they were throwing anything they could against it. For example the lady from the Farm Bureau surveyed property owners along the Katy Trail. She said they expressed problems with trash along the trail, traffic, barking dogs. But they apparently never tried to survey their members who use the Katy Trail (like me). It is not right to say they represent Farm Bureau members when they don't even talk to their members who use biking trails when they do a survey on the topic.

So that's the type of thing we are up against.

Thanks to dc for posting about this meeting. I was glad to meet you. Oh, and the tv news coverage only talked about opposition to the trail and said nothing about support for it.

I can imagine the newspaper coverage: "Locals expressed their fear of marauding gangs of lycra clad biker gangs throwing banana peels with reckless abandon prior to ordering food and drinks at the local businesses....."

I'm really surprised that people haven't heard from towns like Hartsburg and Marthasville about the positive effect of the Katy in those towns. I mean, come on! It's not like those old rail beds are being used for anything other than a place to pile brush by the landowners.

I was there and if the lady from the Farm Bureau is the best of the organized opposition things are looking good for the trail. There was a guy that asked the Ameren spokesman if they were going to get tax credits as part of there deal with the state. The Ameren guy sort tap danced around the question but if they are and DNR is not including that in the cost estimates that could gain some traction with a lot of folks. It's easy to write off the landowners' fear of trespassers but I own bottom land on the Osage and have to run people looking for indian artifacts out of our fields 3 - 4 times a year. All in all I left with a pretty good feeling about the prospect of this trail becoming reality.

Several old logging towns out west have built mountain bike trails to attract tourists. They say that cyclists are the perfect people to bring in: Healthy active people with money to spend on food/groceries/alcohol/lodging/camping, who are active during the day, and go to bed at night (because they are exhausted from riding). Then they go back to where they came from. Who wouldn't want those kind of tourists?

Add in the benefits to the locals, throw up a few "No Trespassing" signs to calm some fears, and who wouldn't want a trail? On top of that, it sounds like they are going to have someone else pay to clean up the old rail bed on their property AND get a tax credit. What a deal!

Sorry....my post wasn't very clear. The landowners aren't getting tax credits but it sounded like A mere might.

Cathy, were MORIT or Rails to Trails people at the meeting? These groups have all the resources to provide very positive history on numerous rail trails success. Is Rep. Hurst for or against the trail? When is the next follow-up meeting?

Keith Laughlin, from the Rails to Trails Conservancy, as well as a young woman with the Rock Island Rails group was there. They both had good information to offer. When people expressed doubt that the towns along the Rock Island Trail would benefit, Keith pointed out how much the Greater Allegheny Passageway (GAP) Trail from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. has helped businesses in the small communities along that trail. There were 2 legislators there, and I don't know whether they support this trail or not. One of them did say that they probably will be term limited out of the legislature by the time funding this trail comes up in the legislature. There was no discussion that I recall about future meetings. I do believe that future meetings should be in a site that doesn't give people opposing the trail an advantage. I understand property owners wanting to have the opportunity to speak up against this. But by holding it where large groups of people against the trail will attend, it is intimidating to those of us that want to speak up in favor of the trail. Meetings should be in a neutral site. There was a guy sitting behind us that was talking about shutting this trail down by shooting people on the trail. That was the undercurrent in the crowd.

I also do not think the Farm Bureau should have a place at the presenters table. The people presenting information should have been from the state parks, people from Rails to Trails organizations that can share information about trails. But an organization like the Farm Bureau that is organizing opposition to the trail should not be at the table presenting information. If they want to speak, fine, but they should not be sitting at the table doing a presentation.

I believe the main purpose of this meeting was for Rep. Tom Hurst (R-62) to hear from his constituents on the proposed trail since his district has a large part of the current rail system running through it. I think the other Rep was David Wood (R-58) whose district also has a significant portion of the line. I think Rep. Hurst should be commended for inviting folks from both sides of the issue to his meeting. He could have just as easily made it a one-sided propaganda meeting. He's my Rep. so I'll be sending him a letter indicating my support of the trail. Everyone else here should do the same with their Senator and Reps.

Oh my! I am so embarrassed! I didn't realize it was a meeting for Rep. Hurst to hear from his constituents on the Rock Island RR Trail. I thought it was a public meeting to provide information about the plans for the trail and get public input. My bad.

I do hope they hold future public meetings to get input from others. For example, convention and visitor bureaus in places like Jeff City and Columbia should keep up on this project and have the opportunity to assist with planning. The Rock Island will increase the use of the Katy Trail. That would be of interest to the CVBs in cities on the Katy Trail.

This trail is a long way off, there is a lot of work to do, and the concerns of people along the trail need to be heard, and whenever possible concerns should be addressed. That can happen through discussion, partnering, working together to make Missouri a place where visitors from other places want to spend time, and enjoy our incredible resources, like biking and hiking trails in rural areas.

We need white knights like Ted and Pat Jones. Also the Katy Land Trust could be of some help too. Corporate sponsors like Edward Jones can facilitate the process with the politicians.

Cathy, at the meeting, did they discuss the cost of bringing the Rock Island up to the operational level of the Katy? In other words, how many "white knights" will we need? I don't recall seeing the cost of the full vision in previous plans.

Bikerboy, they probably did discuss an estimate, but I don't recall what it was and there was not a handout that outlined that information. As a previous poster pointed out, the meeting in Westphalia was geared more towards the concerns of property owners. I hope that there will be public meetings to just provide information about the project (e.g., estimated costs, potential sources of funding, timelines).

By the way there was an excellent letter to the editor in the News Tribune on 1/28/14, written by David Sprecker from Owensville.

I am in Pittsburgh at the moment. There are a few inches of snow on the ground. Today my future son-in-law went mountain biking here in an area by a lake very popular with bicyclists. Is that nuts or what? But it was beautiful out there. Who knows, maybe we'll get enough biking trails in Missouri that will attract people who want to enjoy the outdoors during winter, in some way other than hunting. I think we have some dedicated souls already. We just need more.

Cathy thanks for going and keeping us informed. I too was planning on going to the meeting in Westphalia, only to have a senior moment, and by the time I remembered...it was already over. I think the new trail would really help the economy of the little towns and bring more people to enjoy MO. I plan on contacting my senator and representative. My current state senator tried 3 times to ban bicycles from all roads, streets, and trails when he was a representative. Money and people contacting their elected officials really count!

If the trail comes into fruition, it will be less than a mile from my front door. Here is hoping that it gets done!

I meant my Representative in my last post, not senator, who tried to stop bicycle riding on all roads, streets, and trails. Another senior moment! Anyway, I sent him an email to ask for his support and also sent one to my state senator. Only the squeaky wheel get the qrease! Contact your elected officials.

I am president of MORIT - Missouri Rock Island Trail, inc., the nonprofit coalition of communities, businesses, organizations, and citizens along the Rock Island Corridor. I just discovered this site and thank you for your support and interest. MO Farm Bureau is hosting another informational meeting in Stover on March 12 at 7:00pm at the Stover Community Center. Once again, we would like to get as many trail supporters to this meeting as possible, the good news is that the Surface Transportation Board has issued the Notice of Interim Trail Use and the Public Use Condition for the Corridor. For more info about our efforts visit our Facebook page at Missouri Rock Island Trail.

KC NPR read this