Removing Katy Bridge at Boonville may endanger Katy Trail

A recent article in The Cape Rock argues that removing the Katy Trail Bridge at Boonville could endanger the Katy Trail's status as 'railbanked' line.

Supporters feel that a few phone calls to Gov. Blunt's office asking them to reconsider the Boonville Bridge decision based on this information could really make a difference:

Gov. Matt Blunt's office: 573-751-3222

From the Cape Rock article:

Recently, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, under marching orders from the Blunt Administration, dropped its plans to rehabilitate the old railroad bridge at Boonville to fill a gap in the statewide Katy Trail State Park. Instead, the Union Pacific Railroad will demolish the historic bridge and reuse one of the five spans for a new bridge elsewhere.

What Blunt and the DNR may not realize is that this move could jeopardize the legal basis for all or part of the existing Katy Trail.

The Katy Trail was created under a Federal law that allows for "railbanking." Ordinarily, when a railroad line is abandoned, ownership of the right of way reverts back to the adjoining landowners. Under the railbanking scheme, the line is not legally "abandoned." Instead, it is "banked" for future use, in case the railroad company ever wants to re-establish the line. Meanwhile, the railroad grade can be converted for "interim" recreational uses.

But if the Boonville Bridge is removed, then it would be nearly impossible to re-establish the line. Development on both sides of the river at Boonville would eventaully obliterate the old railroad grade. Thus, the line would no longer be "railbanked." Once that happens, Missouri could face wave after wave of litigation by disgruntled landowners arguing that all or part of the Katy Trail has no legal basis to remain in existence and should revert back to their ownership.

Meanwhile, Boonville residents have staged a rally in support of saving the bridge, also covered by the KCStar.

See previous coverage of the Katy Bridge at Boonville issue here.