Milwaukee Road Segment Montana Inventory and Assesment: Phase I and II
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Milwaukee Road Segment Montana Inventory and Assesment: Phase I and II PREPARED BY RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS Jeffrey Ciabotti Hugh Morris Darren Smith Rails-to-Trails Conservancy — creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. The Great American Rail-Trail Milwaukee Road Segment — Montana Phase One and Two December 2004 TRAILDART TRAIL D EVELOPMENT A SSISTANCE R ESPONSE T EAM A Service of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Project Goals andObjectives ..........................................................................................................2 Great American Rail-Trail ................................................................................................................2 The Value of Trails .........................................................................................................................2 Montana History............................................................................................................................3 Base Map .......................................................................................................................................5 Technical Methodology Inventory; Initial Public Outreach; Documentation; Assessment; and GIS Maps ............................7 Inventory — Corridor Identification and Research Proceedings Before the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) ...................................................7 Map/Map Legend ...................................................................................................................7 Primary Route .........................................................................................................................7 Spurs/Connectors....................................................................................................................7 Background Information Included in ICC Proceedings ...................................................................8 Segment Summary Information (mile posts, construction dates, right-of-way width, estimated acreage, land values as of 1979) ......................................................10 Land Use Corridor Descriptions ............................................................................................10 Montana Historical Sites ....................................................................................................... 13 List of Tunnels....................................................................................................................... 14 Possible Disposition Leads/Ownership Information ..................................................................... 15 Supplemental Information from Abandonment Filing (1979) on Interested Purchasers ........ 15 Heartland Partners Holdings ................................................................................................. 15 Federally Granted Right-of-Way Information ......................................................................... 15 Preliminary Assessment GIS Assessment Maps Milwaukee Road Corridor, Montana Segment — Overview Section Map ............................. 17 Milwaukee Road Corridor, Montana Segment — Base Maps Sections 1–8 ...........................18 Milwaukee Road Corridor, Montana Segment — Land Ownership Maps Sections 1–8 ....... 26 Implementation ........................................................................................................................... 34 Strategies for Successful Trails ............................................................................................. 34 Montana Trails and Greenways Funding ......................................................................................37 Montana Legal Review ............................................................................................................... 43 Appendix A. Photo Inventory ................................................................................................................. 46 B: Milwaukee Road Land Ownership Database ......................................................................... 61 C. State Rail-Trail Inventory — open/projects/highlight Milwaukee Rail Corridor projects ........ 88 D. Milwaukee Road Corridor Contacts ..................................................................................... 89 E. Rails-with-Trails Executive Summary.......................................................................................91 F. About Rails-to-Trails Conservancy ......................................................................................... 92 INTRODUCTION PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The overall vision of this project is to build The Great American Rail-Trail, a coast-to-coast, dedicated pathway along unused rail corridors celebrating America’s historical, natural and cultural richness. GREAT AMERICAN RAIL-TRAIL The Great American Rail-Trail is an important component of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s vision of a national transportation network of rail-trails, canal towpaths, or dedicated greenways to commute to work or school, shop, or even bike or walk across the country. The trail will be a coast-to-coast, off- road, non-motorized trail accessible to bicyclists, hikers, wheelchair users, equestrians, in-line skaters and others. Extending from Washington, D.C., to Seattle, it will travel through Maryland, Pennsylva- nia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Currently, 33 percent of the proposed coast-to-coast route is open for use and another 37 percent is in the project stage. The largest gaps exist in Montana and Iowa. This report examines the Montana segment for trail development opportunities to link into the national network. THE VALUE OF TRAILS Trails and greenways positively impact individuals and improve communities by providing recreation and transportation opportunities, and encouraging economic and community development. Trails and greenways bring many benefits to the community they traverse. Recreation Opportunities. Most trail corridors in Florida are flat or have gentle grades, making them perfect for a variety of users, including walkers, inline skaters, bicyclists and people with disabilities. Trails are multimodal and versatile passageways. Increased Property Values. Studies have shown that properties on land near or adjacent to trails and greenways often increase in value. People are willing to pay more to have a multi-use trail in their neigh- borhood. Trails have become an important amenity that many look for when choosing where to live. Healthy Living. The U.S. Surgeon General estimates that 60 percent of American adults are not regu- larly active and 25 percent are not active at all. Additionally, childhood obesity is on the rise and Type II diabetes is increasingly affecting both adults and children. In many communities across the country, people do not have access to trails, parks or other recreation areas close to their homes. Trails and greenways provide safe, inexpensive avenues for regular exercise. Environmental and Open Space Protection. Trails and greenways help improve air and water quality. Communities with trails provide enjoyable and safe options for clean transportation, which reduces air pollution. By protecting land along canals and streams, greenways prevent soil erosion and filter pollu- tion caused by agricultural and road runoff. Connecting People and Communities. Trails serve as utilitarian transportation corridors linking neigh- borhoods, workplaces and additional community destinations such as schools, libraries and shopping centers. They connect congested urban areas with parks and open spaces. By bringing people together on greenways for their daily activities, trails unite people and their natural surroundings. 2 Regional Systems. As more and more trails are completed, we are beginning to see the emergence of regional systems of interconnected trails and other alternative transportation corridors such as onstreet bike lanes. Trails serve as the backbone for these systems, increasing the value of the whole by connecting the parts. Regional trail systems cross political, social and economic barriers, allowing trail users to form new connections with neighboring communities. These ribbons of green link schools, parks, commercial areas, neighborhoods and waterfronts, allowing trail users to traverse the region solely and safely on trails. Trail networks form a more cohesive transportation system, allowing people to travel to other communities and to combine trail use with other forms of transit. Regional trail systems draw more riders from outside the community, contributing to the economic growth of the region. Bringing trails together to form networks dramatically increases the positive effects that trails bring to their communities. MONTANA HISTORY Montana is a land of broad dimensions, generally low rainfall, and two sharply contrasting regions, the west forested and mountainous, the east a high, wide, barren prairie. Its 147,138 square miles make it as large as New England, with New York and half of Pennsylvania thrown in. It houses a low population density of 5.66 per square mile. Glacier Park, in the northwest corner of the state contains “Triple Divide Peak,” a high, water-origin peak, from which water flows into three drainage systems: the Saskatchewan, which flows into the Arctic Ocean; the Columbia,