Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 10/09/2014

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within the corridor, Regional Parks System funds will be used only for that part of acquisition and development attributable to trail use. Occasionally, existing corridors previously used for railroad or road transportation becomes available for new uses. This is particularly true of railroad rights -of -way that are no longer required for service. The most likely new uses for these corridors are either recreational trails or transitways such as light - rail transit, commuter rail, or bus rapid transit. The availability of these corridors may offer excellent opportunities for the regional trail system to expeditiously acquire links that would otherwise have to be assembled on a parcel -by- parcel basis. All surplus corridors put on the market should be evaluated for their suitability as additions to the regional trail system. If an available corridor traverses an area with high - quality natural resources, or if it constitutes part of a link in the regional trail system, the corridor should be considered for trail use as part of the Regional Parks System. In some cases, available corridors do not provide any linkages or offer any potentially interesting trail recreation experience. In these cases, the corridors are not suitable for inclusion in the Regional Parks System. However, where either the linkage or natural resources criterion or both are met, two potential problem situations occur. First is a situation where the surplus corridor is wide enough to accommodate permanent use both as a transitway and for recreational trail purposes. It is hoped that differences between the transportation use and the recreation use can be resolved so that both types of activity can become permanent, valuable additions to the metropolitan area. Planning, development and management arrangements will have to be worked out among the various interests involved. The trail use of rights -of -way owned by regional rail authorities is allowed as an interim use under agreements between the regional rail authority /transit provider and regional park implementing agencies. Signs on these trails inform the public that trail use may be displaced or shared with transit in the future. A more difficult situation occurs when the corridor can accommodate either transit or trail recreation, but not both. In the interim, the corridor can be considered for recreational trail purposes. It is possible that the eventual conversion of the corridor to transit will not occur and, presumably, the corridor will be available for permanent recreational uses. However, it is also possible that transit will eventually claim the corridor after several years. If the facility has been used as a recreational trail, it's possible that the trail will become popular and be viewed as a permanent part of the Regional Parks System. The Regional Parks System will experience a substantial dislocation and deprivation if one of its links is suddenly removed from the system. Public opposition over conversion from recreation to transportation use is likely. If the regional trail system and the transit system are to take this risk, it must be done with the clear understanding that trail recreation may only be a temporary use. No significant long -term recreation investment will be made in the facility unless it will be in operation for its useful design life of 10 years or more.