REGIONAL APPROACH TO PRESERVE RAIL FREIGHT SERVICE AND REDEVELOP ABANDONED RAILWAYS

Land-use controversies have arisen as older railroads find themselves surrounded by new development. Environmental concerns (noise, pollution, and aesthetics) have prompted railroads to redesign rail systems to accommodate complaining neighbors. In Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna Economic Development Association's (SEDA) Council of Governments Board of Directors formed a Joint Rail Authority (JRA) in July 1983 to pursue a strategy for public ownership of Conrail's abandoned rail lines. In 1984 the JRA purchased 82 miles of Conrail lines with the goal of preserving rail service and employment. The lines were renamed the NorthShore and Bald Eagle railroads after rehabilitation at a cost of $4.1 billion. Funding was provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Federal Railway Administration, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Centre County Commissioners, Columbia County Industrial Development Authority and the rail-dependent industries. Economic pressures in the 1990s led to downsizing and mergers in the rail industry. As a result JRA acquired Conrail's Williamsport Cluster and Lewistown Cluster to guarantee service to rail dependent industries. JRA now owns 190 miles serving 61 industries with 27,000 carloads. SEDA-COG JRA's Williamsport Track Reconfiguration Project is part of a 3 phase industrial and infrastructure development to facilitate re-development of the Maynard Street corridor. The project seeks to accommodate Penn College's expansion, redesign railroad for better service, re-develop industrial lands, and eliminate tracks that bisect the Penn College campus.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/33242332
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Page Range: pp 1, 4-5
• Corporate Authors:

  American Planning Association

  Transportation Planning Division, 122 S Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600
  Chicago,   United States  60603-6107
• Authors:
  • McAlister, J
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • Transportation Planning
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: American Planning Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freight traffic; Land use; Railroad facilities; Redevelopment; Regional planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Joint rail authorities; Rail-dependent industries
• Subject Areas: Environment; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00820385
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 5 2001 12:00AM