The state’s Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council this month voted to recommend that 26.5 miles of the state-owned Berlin Subdivision rail corridor from Portland to Auburn be converted to an interim bike and pedestrian trail.
Seven of 13 council members approve of the move and 86% of 700 public comments were supportive of a trail. Angela King of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine is a council member. She's hopeful the trail will get built.
"Having this corridor that would connect these communities...this would be another thing to add to the Active Transportation Plan that the state is working on, which is about making networks of trails so people can get around outside of cars," King said.
The council reported that an interim paved trail would cost $55 million, a rail and trail combined would be $94 million, and restoring passenger service could cost as much as $274 million. The Maine Rail Transit Coalition opposes ripping up any railroad tracks. The State Rail Preservation Act requires that rail corridors to be preserved for future rail use unless lawmakers approve a non-rail use. The transportation commissioner has yet to report back to lawmakers.
