As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was in Berkeley Springs, WV last weekend. While driving into town I noticed we passed Depot Road. I immediately thought that that must mean there is a train depot around and possible an abandoned railroad. After a few minutes of wifely eye-roll inducing searching on my phone I realized there was. I believe I clapped. For some reason, my wife did not.
Turns out there is a 3 mile stub railroad line into the town and an old depot at one of the terminals of that line. The depot has been undergoing rehabilitation since 2010 and design work on the interior is still ongoing. It's not clear if they've decided what to do with the building yet though a visitor's center and museum have both been suggested. If you watch the animation below you can see the stub rail next to the depot and how it's being set aside for a trail (the yellow strip at around 2:04). You can also see the other stub that swings east of the depot and crosses Williams Street. That line heads another two blocks into town to some old warehouses and industrial buildings.
As for the trail, it isn't progressing quite as fast at the depot. Though it has gotten some grants in the recent past, it seems to be a bit stalled. The trail would run from near the depot north to the Senior Center just south of the Silica plant. The railroad still serves the Silica plant, btw.
Back in 2013, some volunteers, with the help of county employees, tried to clear the trail so that people could at least walk it and that led to some bickering on the County Commission.
[Commissioner Bob] Ford said using skilled maintenance workers was wasting county resources,
“Our mechanics are skilled people, so why would we want them clearing trails when they have plenty of work to do on projects involving county property?” asked Ford.
The notion of not being allowed to use employees the commission already pays to work county projects is ridiculous, said [Commissioner Stacey] Dugan. She reminded Commissioner Ford that when the Animal Control facility on Route 9 was being revamped, Ford made use of the same employees for duties outside their stated job requirements.
Rather than arguing further, Dugan said she would get her family and friends to clear the brush themselves. “It’s already walkable, and there’s just a few downed trees that need moved.”
Ford also objected to the use of volunteers, alleging that a person getting injured on the trail could lead to a lawsuit against the county. No consensus was met, and the issue was saved for another time.
Anyway the source of trouble is not bickering over employee use, but money. The trail would need two new bridges and it doesn't appear the grant money already received is sufficient. Also, if you haven't noticed, Bob Ford doesn't like the trail and it turns out Dugan lost reelection in 2014, so....in early 2015
Calling it “ill-conceived from the start,” Morgan County Commissioner Bob Ford said this morning the county should drop plans for a rail trail along Warm Springs Run on the north end of Berkeley Springs.
The next day he had to backtrack a little, and the commission decided to wait 90 days to make a decision.
[Commissioner Joe Tuttle] said an estimate by engineers that the trail, including two bridges, would cost $1.4 million to build would have to be revisited.
“Obviously that’s not going to work. We have to get the project done, and get it done for $600,000,” said Tuttle. “I don’t think the intent was for tourism, but for citizens. I’m very interested in expanding recreational opportunities to our youth.”
Early this year, Tuttle reported that they needed more money and that the state Department of Highways suggested they apply for more. Ford said that they should figure out exactly how much this is going to cost because this is "county taxpayers money and we should have an exact cost." The Commission decided to apply for money funding, but to continue to review the cost. Later the Commission voted on the request, and all members voted for it, which appears to be where it is for now.
I think the trail would be used by tourists - the town is already a tourist destination. Especially if they expand it south to the warehouses - which are now art galleries. In the interim, they should clear it and sign it so that people can walk it.
Just south of the depot is a store that sells old bikes, they should give them a sweetheart deal to move into one half of the depot and turn the other half into a coffee and sandwich place. Then they should find a way to extend the trail north ~3 miles to the 522 bridge over the Potomac so that it can connect to the Western Maryland Rail Trail, C&O Canal Towpath and Hancock, MD. That's how you tap into all the trail users for day trips. (the bridge sidewalk is pretty narrow - maybe 3 feet - but it's walkable). The trail could be extended as a sidepath along 522 or as a rail with trail along the existing railroad. But I guess they can't yet afford the trail they have planned, so maybe I'm dreaming too big here.
If a town is just a few miles off the C&O they really should consider building a link to the trail.
I believe Paw Paw, WV just did and a couple of bike journals that I've read have mentioned it has spurned the growth of new businesses.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?pic_id=2673293
Posted by: jeffB | July 01, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Sounds like typical narrow focus that cannot see bikes and peds as tourist $
Posted by: SJE | July 01, 2016 at 02:22 PM