Annie & Mary Rail-Trail Feasibility Study
Funding Organizations: California Coastal Conservancy
Cooperating Agencies: Project Team: Spencer Engineering and Construction Management, Inc., Alta Planning + Design, Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, Planwest Partners, Dr. Michael Smith, and Alex Kassatkin. Organizations, Businesses and Individuals: Adjacent landowners, public participants and survey respondents, North Coast Railroad Authority, Charles Montange, Attorney, Caltrans District 1, Cities of Arcata and Blue Lake, Humboldt County Departments of Public Works and Community Development, U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson's Eureka office staff, Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, Blue Lake Rancheria, Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association, Humboldt State University Natural Resources Planning Classes, Humboldt County Historical Society, Blue Lake Museum, Humboldt County Historical Society, Arcata Eye and McKinleyville Press, City of Modesto, and Friends of the Annie and Mary Rail-Trail.
Project Date (Y-M-D): 2003-08-01
The Arcata & Mad River line (affectionately known as the Annie & Mary) is the end of the Northwestern Pacific (NWP) railroad that extends up the north coast of California from the San Francisco Bay area to and just beyond Humboldt Bay. Trains have not run on the Annie & Mary since 1992, nor does it appear that rail service will be possible in the near future.
Owned and managed by the North Coasts Railroad Authority (NCRA), the A&M is one of the few publicly-owned rail corridors in the U.S. Since 1997, a diverse group of citizens, local businesses and elected officials from the surrounding communities of Blue Lake, Arcata, McKinleyville and Eureka has worked to advocate development of a trail on the Annie & Mary corridor. The Natural Resources Services (NRS) Division of Redwood Community Action Agency completed a preliminary assessment of the trail concept in December of 2000. This Feasibility Study, funded by the State Coastal Conservancy, is the next phase of the research and planning process.
The purpose of this Feasibility Study is to research and document the opportunities and constraints related to development of a multiple-use trail on the Arcata & Mad River rail corridor. Trail development options have been assessed with sensitive consideration of landowner interests, compatibility of adjacent land uses, and possible management options. Recommendations herein subsequently factor in safety, environmental and cultural resources, long-term trail maintenance, and the likelihood of securing funding for implementation.
It is intended that this document provide the NCRA, elected officials, potential trail managers, adjacent landowners and the public at large with information they can use in the next steps toward the Annie & Mary’s future.
Resources
Documents:The Annie and Mary Rail-Trail Feasibility Study is available in it's entirety at the Humboldt County Library.
Maps & Images:
The Maps below will display and print as 11 X 17
Proposed Annie and Mary Rail-Trail Map (PDF) 1.7MB
Calendar:
Presentations:
Links:
Recognition:
Contacts:
To help fund the completion of this trail, send your donation to:
Friends of the Annie & Mary Rail-Trail
P.O. Box 804
Blue Lake, CA 95525
or contact Ingrid Kosek at (707) 668-5066
or check out www.anniemaryrailtrail.org
