After years and years of hard work Chestertown is finally breaking ground on its Rail Trail.
The first section of the walking trail will be across from Wilmer Park. At Monday night’s Mayor and Council meeting, Town Manager Bill Ingersoll said that 20 railroad ties were removed and David A. Bramble, Inc. is going to pave a 30-foot trail section for the dedication.
“We want to pave enough of the trail so people can get the idea of what we want to do and what the MTA (Maryland Transportation Authority) hasn’t done,” Ingersoll said. “If anything good came out of this it’s that they treated us so badly, they’re treating us much better now.”
As for the rest of the trail, Ingersoll said either the MTA is going to remove the rest of the ties themselves or the town can do it and MTA will reimburse them.
A dedication ceremony with Gov. Martin O’Malley will be held on Tea Party Saturday, May 29, at 1 p.m. across from Wilmer Park.
Marty Stetson says
I fully expected to be riding and walking on the completed trail by now. It just didn’t happen and it was not for lack of trying. The Town Council and the Trail Committee never slowed down in their quest to get it going but it has not been easy . To say it was frustrating would be putting it mildly.It seemed like everytime we took a step forward the State would come up with another hurdle. I think we are finally on our way – now to get the Kent County to come on board and lengthen the trail to give us an excellant way to the Worton Park and the new Community Center.
Gren Whitman says
The MTA (a state agency) removing the rails from a privately owned railroad?
Sounds like creeping socialism to me!
Seriously, this rail-to-trail conversion is such an exciting project. I predict it will be used a lot by many residents — old, young, inbetween — just as are other rail-trails in so many other places.
Can’t wait to wheel from C’town to Worton!
dgwelsh says
Great project, aren’t property taxes going up. Fine MTA is paying for it, who pays MTA.
Jeff says
My understanding is MTA is the lease holder for the land and MD&DE rail is responsible for maintaining the line. Of course, I believe railroads are partially subsidized by the Government anyway so how “private” a company MD&DE railroad is might be a bit fuzzy anyhow. Property taxes are going to pay for it one way or the other, but since MTA receives state and federal funds, that spreads the taxpayer costs over many more people. If Chestertown was paying for it, I can promise that the property taxes would be going up A LOT more (or more likely, the project just wouldn’t happen.) Obviously there will be those that disagree, but I am personally happy to see this going forward and have no qualms with my taxes (property or otherwise) being spent on it.
JA says
I graduated from KCHS in 2007. At least once a week you could here the train’s whistle as it passed the crossing in Worton on Rt. 297. How far is this project expected to go? What happens when it meets the bypass (Rt. 291)? A crosswalk? Does the train no longer come to Worton?