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Rails with Trails

Purple Line opponents claim there is no transit system in the United States that runs as fast and as close to a popular trail as will the proposed Purple Line. But they are simply wrong on the facts.

A trail alongside light rail transit:

source: Metrobikelink website Metrobikelink Trail alongside light rail transit. Note the absence of any barrier between trail and rail.

The Metrobikelink Trail has been in operation in the East St. Louis metro area of St. Clair County, Illinois since 2001. The trail is directly alongside light rail transit for 4.0 miles. The Metrobikelink website reports that this trail successfully provides a vital link in the area trail system, and there are long range plans to extend the trail.

The Metrobikelink Trail directly refutes the claims made by "Save the Trail" transit opponents that there are no transit systems like the proposed Purple Line near popular trails:

• Metrolink trains run at 55 mph.
• The Metrobikelink Trail is only 12 feet from light rail cars at some places.
• Metrolink trains run as often as every 10 minutes in each direction.

Photo by Harry Sanders Metrobikelink Trail at a light rail station.

The Capital Crescent Trail will have separation distances comparable to the Metrobikelink Trail. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has set a goal of providing a 10' wide planted buffer between the trail and the light-rail tracks in most areas. In many areas the trail will be 3-4' higher than the railbed for some vertical separation and increased feeling of safety. There will be a fence between trail and rail except at designated crossing points. MTA estimates that Purple Line speeds will be in the 35-45 mph range, less than Metrolink transit speeds.

A recent MTA "Master Plan Alignment Trail Analysis" shows how the CCT will be separated from the Purple Line - see their trail plan as a pdf file at MTA CCT Analysis.

More trails alongside rails:

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy reports in their Spring 2007 magazine that there are 119 trails operating alongside active rail lines in the United States, for a total of 878 trail miles.

Source: RTC Rails-with-Trails Report See webshots for another view of this trail.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) surveyed experience with 61 trails alongside active rails in 2000, and their Rails-with-Trails Report is available at the RTC Trails and Greenways Publications Library.

An example:

• The Schuylkill River Trail between Philadelphia and Norristown, PA. Opened in 1993, the trail separation from the adjacent rail varies but is as little as 10' in places, where only a split rail fence separates the trail from rail. Commuter and freight trains pass by at speeds up to 40 mph.

The RTC reports that the safety record of rails-with-trails is good. They could find only one fatality on the 61 trails surveyed, and that fatality was a cyclist who left the trail and rode around a lowered gate at a road crossing to be struck by a train.

The number of rails-with-trails has almost doubled since the year 2000 RTC report. RTC actively supports the rails-with-trails concept as presenting opportunities to build trails that otherwise would not be possible.

Source: Metrolink Rails-with-Trails slideshow in pdf format, by Ron Matheiu Mission City Trail alongside Metrolink rail in San Fernando.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has done more recent case studies on 21 existing and planned trails operating alongside active rails, and those case studies can be seen in Rails-with-Trails: Lessons Learned.

An example:

• The Mission City Trail in San Fernando, CA. Opened in the 1990's, the trail has a 25' standoff from rail. 26 Metrolink passenger trains pass by daily at speeds as high as 79 mph.

Source:National Recreation Trails A trail near St. Paul, MN.

The National Recreation Trails program shows that rails-with-trails can create some of the nations's most attractive trails. Several rails-with-trails in Washington State and in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN. are shown in the National Recreation Trails website as Cool Trail Solutions.

American Trails joins with RTC in making the case for trails sharing space with rails, see Rails and Trails: An idea whose time has come. The American Trails article points out that shared use of rail corridors "insures the preservation of rail corridors while opening them to trail construction, mass transit, and recreational use".

The Maryland Transit Administration surveyed experience with rails-with-trails and has concluded the CCT and the Purple Line can operate safely together. MTA presents case studies of more successful rails-with-trails in their "Master Plan Alignment Trail Analysis", see MTA CCT Analysis.

Close to home - The "Bicycle Beltway":

"Save the Trail" advocates assert that we must protect the CCT as a vital link in the regional trail network by opposing rails-with-trails as unsafe. They apparently are not aware that much of the proposed regional trail network IS rail-with-trial.

November 20, 2004 The MetBranch Trail at the New York Avenue Metro station.

The Metropolitan Branch Trail is being built to connect to the Capital Crescent Trail, and will be the eastern half of the 24 mile trail loop called the Bicycle Beltway. The MetBranch Trail will be adjacent to the CSX/Metro Red Line tracks over most of its 7+ mile length. The Metro Red Line will run as fast, as close, and as often next to the MetBranch Trail as will the Purple Line next to the CCT. Parts of the trail have already been completed, and a new section will be built soon from the New York Avenue station to Franklin Avenue near Catholic University.

The Metropolitan Branch Trail in Takoma Park

A section of the MetBranch Trail has been open in Takoma Park for several years. Takoma Park residents have not raised hysterical fears that the rails endanger the trail, and this section of trail has been welcomed. "Save the Trail" advocates can learn much about trail safety from Takoma Park.

See the Metropolitan Branch Trail webpage for more on this trail.

The Capital Crescent Trail will be improved by being with rail:

The Capital Crescent Trail cannot be completed as a safe off-road trail without rail.

The Capital Crescent Trail now ends abruptly near Brookville Road in Lyttonsville - well short of downtown Silver Spring. As explained at the CCT webpage, there is only one route into Silver Spring that will permit the Trail to be completed on a direct alignment with grade separated crossings of busy highways to connect directly with the Metropolitan Branch Trail - and that is along the CSX railroad corridor. A right-of-way can not be obtained in the CSX corridor unless the Purple Line is built.

Capital Crescent Trail users will have easy access to transit.

Photo by Harry Sanders A trail passes through a light rail station near Minneapolis.

The Capital Crescent Trail will pass through transit stations in downtown Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring, with the trail only feet away from direct access to the Metro Red Line platforms. The Trail will also pass by Purple Line platforms at Connecticut Avenue, Lyttonsville Road, and 16th Street. Mixed mode bike/rail trips will be easy.

Photo by Barbara Sanders Modern light rail cars can accomodate bikes.

Light rail is bike friendly. We expect that bikes will be allowed on the Purple Line transit cars. Trail users will be able to easily use transit to complete recreational trips and trips to work. Both the Capital Crescent Trail and the Purple Line will benefit with a good trail/rail integrated design.

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