Action Alert! Bay [T]rail railbanking discussion at NCRA Meeting July 11th 10:30am

[Green Wheels]

Hi Green Wheelers -

Thanks for helping pack the house last week for the Board of Supervisors meeting to support the Bay [T]rail railbanking plan. Dozens of people spoke in favor of pursuing railbanking for a rail to trail from Eureka to Arcata and rail with trail with tourist train from Arcata to Samoa. The Board of Supervisors will be sending a letter of support to the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) to form a railbanking committee to further pursue this issue.

Please consider attending and speak at the upcoming NCRA meeting on Wednesday, July 11, starting at 10:30 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 825 Fifth Street, Room 111, Eureka.

See below for details from bay [t]rail advocate Rees Hughes and attached for Talking Points for the NCRA meeting.

Hope to see you out there!

Cheers,
The Green Wheels Team


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Upcoming Northcoast Railroad Authority (NCRA) Meeting
From: Rees Hughes <Rees....@humboldt.edu>
Date: Tue, July 03, 2012 8:24 pm

Dear Friends and Allies,

First, thank you for your wonderful support at the recent Board of Supervisors meeting.  The strong community presence was instrumental in the ultimate passage of the resolution to send the letter to the Board of the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) asking the NCRA to establish a working group to explore railbanking and other options to protect the right-of-way from Eureka to Samoa.

At their meeting on Wednesday, July 11th, this request will come before the NCRA Board.  This is the next step in support of the Bay [T]rail Initiative that is advocating for a rail-to-trail conversion of the Eureka to Arcata section of the railroad and the use of the Arcata to Samoa section of the railroad for a tourist train (with an adjacent trail).  This NCRA working group would be expected to report back to the NCRA Board at its November meeting.

We need to pack the house on the 11th with supporters of this effort who will speak (or just show your support) in favor of the creation of this working group.  The NCRA Directors from the other counties need to understand just how important this is to the citizens of Humboldt County. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers (825 Fifth Street, Room 111, Eureka).  This topic is the focal point of the agenda. 

If you are unable to join us on Wednesday, the second best option is to send us a note of support for the initiative that we can share at the NCRA meeting and, if you have not done so already,indicate your support on the website (as soon as possible): www.baytrailplan.org   Please help us spread the word.

The Talking Points have been modified from the Board of Supervisors and include:

1) The railroad prism is deteriorating rapidly on the stretch from Eureka to Arcata.  The potential for continued breaches endangers 101.  It is irresponsible to do nothing.

2) We do understand that once there is a viable freight line, the right-of-way will be used for that purpose.  We understand that is the purpose of railbanking.

3) While the freight option is developed, there are other uses for the right-of-way with significant community pay-off such as a multi-modal trail and a tourist train.

4) A multi-modal trail between Eureka and Arcata, the two biggest populations centers around the Bay, can be used safely by walkers, bike commuters, recreational cyclists, joggers, etc.  

5) A multi-modal trail has proven health benefits because it encourages individuals to get out, to exercise, to bike commute, etc.

Thanks for your ongoing support and involvement.  Together let’s make this happen!

Dennis Rael, Don Banducci, Judy Hodgson, and Rees Hughes

baytra...@gmail.com

[Chris Butner]

Not able to make the meeting on July 11th ?

Please, please take a moment to email staff and board of the NCRA.

Please ask them to support rail banking the Humboldt Bay line. To allow our community to move forward in making this project a reality.

See in the original post talking points you may want to use in your email. You could also provide a short personal story on what this project means to you......

Any email is better then no email. So keep it short if that is all your time allows.

Clif Clendenen - cclen...@co.humboldt.ca.us
Bill Kier - kierass...@suddenlink.net
Hal Wagenet - halwa...@willitsonline.com
Allan Hemphill - allan.h...@northcoastrailroad.org

Staff: 'Heather Lindsteadt' <ncra.h...@sbcglobal.net>; mitch stogner at ncra <ncra.m...@sbcglobal.net>;

in...@northcoastrailroad.org

On Thursday, July 5, 2012 11:03:27 AM UTC-7, Green Wheels wrote:
> Hi Green Wheelers -
>
> Thanks for helping pack the house last week for the Board of Supervisors meeting to support the Bay [T]rail railbanking plan. Dozens of people spoke in favor of pursuing railbanking for a rail to trail from Eureka to Arcata and rail with trail with tourist train from Arcata to Samoa. The Board of Supervisors will be sending a letter of support to the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) to form a railbanking committee to further pursue this issue.
>

> Please consider attending and speak at the <span>upcoming NCRA meeting on Wednesday, July 11, <span>starting at 10:30 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 825 Fifth Street, Room 111, Eureka.
>
> </span></span>See below for details from bay [t]rail advocate Rees Hughes and attached for Talking Points for the NCRA meeting.

>
> Hope to see you out there!
>
> Cheers,
> The Green Wheels Team
>
>

> <span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana">-------- Original Message --------

>
> Subject: Upcoming Northcoast Railroad Authority (NCRA) Meeting
>

> From: Rees Hughes &lt;<a href="mailto:Rees....@humboldt.edu" target="_blank">Rees....@humboldt.edu</a>&gt;
>
> Date: Tue, July 03, 2012 8:24 pm</span>
>
> Dear Friends and Allies,</div>
>
> </div>

> First, thank you
> for your wonderful support at the recent Board of Supervisors meeting.
>  The strong community presence was instrumental in the ultimate passage
> of the resolution to send the letter to the Board of the North Coast
> Railroad Authority (NCRA) asking the NCRA to establish a working group
> to explore railbanking and other options to protect the right-of-way

> from Eureka to Samoa.</div>
>
>
> </div>

> At their meeting on Wednesday, July 11th, this
> request will come before the NCRA Board.  This is the next step in
> support of the Bay [T]rail Initiative that is advocating for a
> rail-to-trail conversion of the Eureka to Arcata section of the railroad
> and the use of the Arcata to Samoa section of the railroad for a
> tourist train (with an adjacent trail).  This NCRA working group would

> be expected to report back to the NCRA Board at its November meeting.</div>
>
>
> </div>

> We need to pack the house on the 11th with
> supporters of this effort who will speak (or just show your support) in
> favor of the creation of this working group.  The NCRA Directors from
> the other counties need to understand just how important this is to the
> citizens of Humboldt County. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:30
> a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers (825 Fifth Street, Room 111,

> Eureka).  This topic is the focal point of the agenda. </div>
>
>
> </div>

> If you are unable to join us on Wednesday, the
> second best option is to send us a note of support for the initiative
> that we can share at the NCRA meeting and, if you have not done so

> already,indicate your support on the website (as soon as possible): <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.baytrailplan.org" target="_blank"><span>www.baytrailplan.org</span></a>   Please help us spread the word.</div>
>
>
> </div>
> The Talking Points have been modified from the Board of Supervisors and include:</div>
>
> </div>
> <i>1)<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>The

> railroad prism is deteriorating rapidly on the stretch from Eureka to
> Arcata.  The potential for continued breaches endangers 101.  It is

> irresponsible to do nothing.</i></div>
>
> <i>2)<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>We

> do understand that once there is a viable freight line, the
> right-of-way will be used for that purpose.  We understand that is the

> purpose of railbanking.</i></div>
>
> <i>3)<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>While

> the freight option is developed, there are other uses for the
> right-of-way with significant community pay-off such as a multi-modal

> trail and a tourist train.</i></div>
>
> <i>4)<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>A

> multi-modal trail between Eureka and Arcata, the two biggest
> populations centers around the Bay, can be used safely by walkers, bike

> commuters, recreational cyclists, joggers, etc.  </i></div>
>
> <i>5)<span style="white-space:pre"> </span>A multi-modal trail has proven health benefits because it encourages individuals to get out, to exercise, to bike commute, etc.</i></div>
>
> </div>
>
> Thanks for your ongoing support and involvement.  Together let’s make this happen!</div>
>
> </div>
> Dennis Rael, Don Banducci, Judy Hodgson, and Rees Hughes</div>
> <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:baytra...@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span>baytra...@gmail.com</span></a></div>