CRT
Task Force: Frequently Asked Questions
updated 5/28/2008
Rail
Trails in general
Cochituate
Rail Trail
This FAQ will be revised as
needed. Please feel free to submit your own question(s) or provide comments by
sending email to crt@natickma.org.
A rail
trail is a recreational area located within an abandoned railroad Right-of-Way
(ROW). Rail trails are increasingly common in
What
is the impact of rail trails on property values?
Property
values tend to increase alongside rail trails.
Studies of property values along trails show that lots adjacent to
trails sell faster and for an average of 6-9% more than similar properties not
located next to trails. In a 2002 survey of recent home buyers
sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and the National Association
of Home Builders, trails ranked as the second most important community amenity
out of a list of 18 choices. For more information, see the Trails and
Greenways Clearinghouse
Do
rail trails attract crime and vandalism to neighborhoods?
There is
no evidence that rail trails cause an increase in crime. In fact, trail
development may actually decrease the risk of crime in comparison to an
abandoned and undeveloped rail corridor. And, several studies have shown
that people prefer living along a rail trail rather than an abandoned
corridor. Typically, lawful trail users serve as eyes and ears for the
community. However, a trail is unlikely to have a crime rate lower
than that in surrounding neighborhoods. For more information, see documents at the web sites of the
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
Have
other towns been through this process?
Yes.
In many
communities that have considered rail trails there are also residents
who oppose the trail and work through the public process to delay, stop or
modify the project.
What
is the
The
Natick Cochituate Rail Trail Task Force is a volunteer group
established by the Board of Selectmen on September 25, 2006 and extended on
October 29, 2007. Task force members were appointed by the Selectmen and
by the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Recreation and Parks
Commission, Finance Committee, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and
Town Administration. The Task
Force’s charge from the Selectmen is to:
Who
decides if there will be a rail trail?
Several Town
boards will decide, along with Town Meeting, all of which are open to the
public. The Board of Selectmen
is authorized to negotiate with the property owner CSX and to expend funds
appropriated by Town Meeting. If Conservation Funds for open space acquisition
are to be expended, both the Conservation
Commission and the Board
of Selectmen must approve the expenditure. Town Meeting must vote to appropriate funds
for the project, and has done so in 2006 and 2007 for preliminary work. The Finance Committee, Planning Board,
Recreation and Parks Commission, Safety Committee, Open Space Advisory
Committee and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee also serve advisory
roles. All of these committees accept public comment and hold public meetings.
Who
would use or benefit from a Rail Trail?
The CRT
would be a public park and would be accessible to all members of public for
recreation and commuting. The CRT would
provide access to
If the
CRT is built and provides an alternative means of transportation, this will
benefit all users of public ways.
The
CRT
would also provide emergency access for public safety purposes, and the
right-of-way would also provide public works and utilities benefits
such as drainage,
water and sewer easements and other compatible services as may be
proposed.
Where
is the Saxonville Branch Right-of-Way?
The Saxonville Branch Right-of-Way runs from the
What’s
the difference between the
If
completed, the Cochituate Rail Trail will connect
How
much will it cost to buy, to build and to maintain?
The CRT
Task Force is evaluating project costs as part of its assignment by the Natick
Board of Selectmen. The costs may include acquisition, design,
construction and maintenance.
A title
search of the right-of-way property found no important obstacles to acquisition. The Town is in the process of contracting for
an independent appraisal of value. CSX
provided an appraisal in 2007 for $14.5 million, which was based on a valuation method that the Town of
Construction
costs can vary widely depending on site conditions, presence or absence of
environmental hazards, need for construction or repair of bridges, culverts, or
other infrastructure, and upon design choices of trail surface, width,
lighting, etc. Per-mile costs of Rail Trail
construction elsewhere have ranged from $30,000/mile to over $1 million/mile.
Maintenance
costs would also vary with all the same considerations, and with whether or not
maintenance includes snow removal. Other
Rail Trails’ annual maintenance costs (not including major restoration or
damage repair) have ranged from $2,035 per mile for Lexington’s Minuteman
Trail to $3,320 per mile for Providence, RI’s East Bay Cycle Path. The chair of
Where
will the funding come from?
There
are no plans to use local taxpayer funds for the project. There are many
potential funding sources, including state grants that have been used for
similar projects. The Task Force is evaluating funding sources as part of its
assignment by the Natick Board of Selectmen.
For a partial list of funding sources, see Appendix A of the Task Force
preliminary report.
There are also dedicated funds available
specifically for this project by the Natick Mall expansion,
and the town has funds for open space provided by the Natick Mall and other
developments to offset the increased density of these projects.
Will the town lose property tax
revenue from using the abandoned rail-bed as an open space rail trail rather
than as developed land?
No,
primarily because most of the land is not developable for business or residential use. Many communities
have discovered that open space conservation such as for rail trails is a
one-time investment that boosts property values and provides other permanent
benefits long after the land is paid for. A small increase in the value of many properties
will be worth far more to the town than the amount of extra development that
could take place along a narrow corridor. The issue of property tax
revenue will be better understood once the Town has an appraisal and negotiates
with CSX over purchase price and terms.
What about the privacy of those living near the trail?
Privacy
of abutters is important and must be factored in to the design and security
planning for the project. Abutters will
need to participate in the planning phase to assure a good design.
Will there be Mass Transit on the
CRT?
In 2007, the Task Force
investigated the possibility of combining public transit, such as an electric
minibus, with non-motorized transportation, using two parallel paths on the right-of-way
with the clearances recommended by the State Executive Office of
Transportation. Because of the
dimensional limitations of the right-of-way, the Task Force unanimously
recommended that the Town’s efforts focus exclusively on non-motorized
transportation.
Would
dirt bikes and ATVs be allowed on the trail?
Although
no regulations have been put in place for this proposed trail, virtually every
rail trail in the country prohibits motorized vehicles on the trail, other than
those used for handicapped accessibility, or by public safety, maintenance and
emergency vehicles. [back to top]
Who will pick up litter?
Trash
has not presented much of a problem on most rail trails. Some trails have
successfully adopted a "pack out what you pack in" policy while
others have a regular maintenance schedule to empty well-placed waste and
recycling receptacles. Source: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy,
The Task Force has suggested the creation of an independent "Friends of the
CRT" organization to raise funds for the project, provide volunteer
assistance, and to help with maintenance. Whatever method is used, proper
sign placement along the trail and in trail brochures will help ensure its
success.
Would
there be street lights along the trail?
If
approved, lighting is one of many design elements to consider prior to
final implementation of the trail. The type, location and hours of trail
illumination would be considered on the basis of cost, safety and appeal to the
community. There are many trails in other communities both with and
without lighting, and these examples would be considered in determining the
best design for
When
might this happen?
The
process is underway. The Town has exercised
its right to negotiate to acquire title to the Right-of-Way. CSX has submitted an appraisal. The Town is contracting to counter with its
own appraisal. The negotiations may be
protracted, as they have been in other towns, or they may be concluded quickly.
The
design process may commence after negotiations are underway but before they are
concluded.
State
funding is often a lengthy process, but the Town has requested that the CRT be
included on the Transportation Improvement Plan so that funding may be
available in the future.
Can I use the Right-of-Way as a
trail now?
The Right-of-Way is still privately owned and the public
does not have permission for access. The
Town has installed temporary barriers to indicate this, to discourage illegal dumping and to address public
safety concerns.
How
can I find out more?
The CRT
Task Force will provide regular reports to the Board of Selectmen, Town Meeting
and other committees, and issues regular newsletters. Task Force meetings are
open to the public. A Community Forum is
planned for Spring 2008.
Acknowledgements
Other Rail Trail projects have done much work to
inform the public about the process of considering and creating a Rail
Trail. We are indebted to their previous
efforts. Following are some links to
related local websites and FAQs, from which some of
this material has been drawn:
Bruce
Freeman Rail Trail reading list
Town
of Sudbury rail trail website
Coastal
trails website in
Wachusetts Greenways website, regarding Mass Central
Rail Trail