- Comments - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports

January 6, 2009

Trestle project gets grants, needs more; city seeks another $250K

Staff writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - With a new $100,000 federal grant, a promised $2 million earmark and earlier commitments for about $1.3 million, backers of the proposed Kanawha Trestle Trail project on Monday reached out for still more money.

Charleston City Council members approved a resolution Monday that calls for Mayor Danny Jones to sign a $250,000 Transportation Enhancement grant application.

The application seeks to tap the same source - federal "TE" funds - that provided $100,000 late last year, said Dennis Strawn, a spokesmen for the group that has been pushing the project for several years.

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2 Comments

Posted By: agusta55 (7:57pm 01-06-2009)

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Hmmm, let me see if I understand this correctly: many years ago, the Federal government financed or subsidized building U.S. railroads. Now after decades of use for commerce at huge profits, the RR companies dramatically downsize and abandon hundreds of thousands of miles of RR, with no offer by the RR companies to give/deed it to the very government that financed its construction, but dupes Rails To Trails committees into "buying" the rights-o-way, minus the rails, cross ties and ballast that they sell to the highest bidder then, the well-intention Rails To Trails committees beat their chest about how they bought the RR----bought with grant money AKA yours and my tax money. After politicans deliver the pork, they are back at all public troughs, with tin cup in hand seeking millions more in "grants" (tax money) to build the walking/bike trails. Gimme a break and look around, existing Charleston area trails are grossly under used now. More million $$ trails does not equal more use!!

Posted By: Braxton Breeze (9:20am 01-06-2009)

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Bridge to Nowhere?

I really have serious reservations about the time and money spent on this project.
I'm sure the supporters are noble in the cause BUT here are some glaring facts about it:

#1 The Patrick St. Bridge is just a few hundred feet downriver from the RR bridge. Couldn't it be a much cheaper alternative to cross the river on the trail?

#2 One beginning/ending point of the RR bridge is very near the city sewer treatment plant with pleasant smells all summer!

#3 The other end of the bridge drops into a crime ridden area of the West Side.

#4 The east end of the trail ends in another crime ridden area of the East End.

Will security be provided?
Otherwise I would liken it to visiting LA and opting out of a stroll along the Redondo Beach boardwalk to take a ride through East LA. No responsible parent would take their family into an area like that.