Crosstown trail coming

Simpson Lumber rail crossings last year were removed on Cota Street, 10th Street and Railroad Avenues in downtown Shelton in preparation for a 2.5-mile crosstown trail, and railroad tracks, ties and switches will be removed next year.

But that doesn't mean every remnant of the historic line will disappear, Capital Projects Manager Aaron Nix told the Shelton City Council at a study session Dec. 10 on capital projects.

"One of the things we are going to do is the remaining rail components - there are still some switches, there's still come lights - the city is going to save these with the intent of potentially in the future utilizing that for wayfinding, somehow putting signage on these structures so that you maintain that kind of mystique along your pathway, which is something I think is very positive," he said.

Simpson donated the railroad right of way to the city in 2020. Phase 1 of the crosstown trail will stretch from U.S. Highway 101 at the city's Western Gateway to the city's Kneeland Park. Phase 2 is a 1-mile trail from the park to the Oakland Bay Marina.

Nix told the council the preliminary design is for a 12-foot wide, paved path separated from traffic. It would include lights, benches, garbage cans, public art and interpretive signs. Protected crossings would be erected on Railroad Avenue and state Route 3.

The trail will connect the city's most heavily used park, two schools and high-density residential areas downtown, Nix said. It will eventually connect to two park and rides and provide a safe route to school for hundreds of students, he said. The trail might draw businesses and tourists, he added.

Trail development is at the top of the list of what residents desire in the city's parks, recreation, open space and trails plan, so the trail meets the goal of the highest priority, said City Manager Mark Ziegler.

This year, the city received two grants. A $275,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation is for planning and designing the project. A $199,920 grant from the state Department of Commerce is for the planning and designing the trail from Kneeland Park to the marina.

While that takes care of the planning funding, "in addition, clearly we're going to need to have communication with our public," Nix said. "I've been out there, I've walked it a couple times, and I've had people come and say, 'So, what are you doing? Could I get a fence?' That kind of stuff. So there's a lot more planning work that needs to be done on this project."

This year, the city budgeted $100,000 from its parks fund for planning, design, demolition and partial construction of the trail. Century West was contracted to help the city prepare plans and a bid package to remove railroad tracks, ties, switches and other items from Kneeland Park to U.S. Highway 101. The bid package is scheduled to be released next month.

The grade will be leveled from Kneeland Park to U.S. Highway 101, but it will have divots, Nix said.

Jay Harris, the city's public works director, said he hopes to get that stretch hydro seeded with grass mix "so it's more maintainable. Right now, we can't drive on it, the rails are pretty high, it's very difficult for us to do anything out there."

Nix said the city will be able to sell the steel pulled up for the trail. He said a conservative guess is about $300,000, which the buyer will recycle.

Also, "Landscapers really like those creosote logs," Nix said. "We may get five bucks apiece for those." That money will be put right back into planning and construction, he said.

One goal is to open up the railroad bridge over Goldsborough Creek, Nix said. Any work on the structure will have to receive permitting from the state to meet the State Shoreline Act, he said.

According to the city report, once the final designs, cost estimates and community outreach has been completed on both projects, the city will then need to secure funding for construction.