Great Redwood Trail Bill Signed Into Law

Great redwood trail map

[Map from here]

Press release from Senator Mike McGuire’s Office:

Senator Mike McGuire’s landmark legislation that seeks to turn the crumbling 300 mile North Coast railroad line into the Great Redwood Trail was signed into law by Governor Brown today. The Trail would extend from the glistening shores of San Francisco Bay to the panoramic waters of Humboldt Bay and would run through some of the most dramatic landscapes on earth including wine country, alongside the banks of the Russian and Eel rivers and into the stunning old growth Redwood forests of the North Coast.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about the Governor’s action, which will launch one of the most significant positive transformations we’ve seen in a generation here on the North Coast — taking a crumbling rail line, managed by a functionally bankrupt public agency, and turning it into a world-wide wonder of a trail and economic driver for Northern California,” said Senator Mike McGuire. “It’s time for us to move beyond the old debates and begin the process of turning this 300 mile rail line into a world class trail and destination that generations will enjoy.”  

The State Transportation Agency, along with the California Natural Resources Agency, will begin the all-important master planning process for the Great Redwood Trail by examining potential trail alignment, trail construction and long-term management costs, terrain suitability, rail banking potential, property easements and the possible governance structure of the trail. The planning process could take two years to complete.

McGuire is thrilled to now have the Natural Resources Agency as part of the study, since they specialize in trails and park issues, and could potentially be part of the eventual ownership of the Trail.

The State Transportation Agency will also complete a study of Northern California Railroad Authority’s (NCRA) significant debts and liabilities while developing a road map to closing the agency down. This process could also take up to two years to complete.

In the meantime, NCRA’s freight rail mission is dramatically reduced. They are now simply charged with cooperating with state authorities on the study and creating an agency shut-down plan while preparing for the transitioning of the right of way for trails.

The Great Redwood Trail will become a significant economic driver for the rural North Coast communities it winds through. California outdoor recreation is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the Golden State’s economy. It generates over $92 billion a year here in California, is responsible for nearly 700,000 jobs with over $30 billion in wages, and brings over $6 billion in tax revenues back to state and local communities. Once completed, the trail could attract hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors alike to hike this spectacular landscape and inject needed funds into our small, rural economies.

The new law also gives the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit agency (SMART) the ability and funding to negotiate for the take-over of the complex, long-term freight contract that NCRA sold to Northwestern Pacific Company over a decade ago. This could provide SMART with full control of the rail line from Marin to Willits in Mendocino County. This will help SMART as they would now manage both passenger and freight operations, which would aid SMART’s long-term scheduling and expansion needs. The State Secretary of Transportation and the Director of the Department of Finance would have to approve any takeover plan of freight operations between Willits and Marin.

“An enormous amount of work has taken place over the past year on this legislation, meeting with hundreds of groups and residents from every corner of the North Coast. That said, we know that the real work is about to be kicked off – the initial master planning process for this spectacular trail,” Senator McGuire said. “This public process will be done right, not fast. It will be inclusive of all voices, detailed and data driven. We’ll be hosting public meetings in early 2019 to inform the community on the planning process, receive critical input from neighbors and residents and talk about how we can work together in the months and years to come on the development of the Great Redwood Trail.”

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44 Comments
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Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago

Very cool! I wonder if it goes around Island Mountain or through it.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
Ernie Branscomb
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

When I lived at Eel Rock (1961-62) there was an abandoned tunnel there. The Mexican railroad workers told me not to go into it because it was a Rattlesnake den. I don’t know for sure because I never entered it! I would have a little problem walking through a tunnel in the dark, but it does sound interesting.

gunther
Guest
gunther
5 years ago

I’ve walked through the Island Mountain tunnel, both ways. It’s just under a mile. I can’t imagine it being part of the trail without some serious lighting. Spooky!

I hate low lifes
Guest
I hate low lifes
5 years ago

While I support this in theory this is a nightmare for the property owners that the rail line runs through. The easement for the trail is a very small area in width and the minute someone goes off it, like to go to the river, to camp, to go to the bathroom they are trespassing on private property. This is hundred of miles of very rural trail almost entirely through private property and no matter how this is sold there is no way to monitor what people are doing (such as having camp fires in the middle of summer) or where people will be going. The cost of creating this is also going to be astounding. Don’t believe that? Just go try and walk down a mile of the current track along any segment of this proposal and see for yourself.

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago

IHLL is spot on.

Greendenny
Guest
Greendenny
5 years ago

Good comments!

Mark
Guest
Mark
5 years ago

I have and I agree

Chef Jeff
Guest
Chef Jeff
5 years ago

The old rail lie goes THROUGH Island Mtn.
The very place where the emerald triangle was named

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

One more project that won’t be finished because it’ll be massively over budget.

Itsonlymoney
Guest
Itsonlymoney
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

You mean like the California bullet train project that voters approved in 2008 and completed in 2020 for 33 billion dollars that is now at 79 billion dollars and is projected to be completed in 2030? You mean like that? Obviously Mike you are just not a visionary…….lol

The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
Guest
The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
5 years ago
Reply to  Itsonlymoney

Well Elon has some extra time now, so maybe he can get his Hyperloop up and running in time to make the bullet train obsolete. https://www.spacex.com/hyperloop

Itsonlymoney
Guest
Itsonlymoney
5 years ago

Elon is the “Edison” and “Ford” of our times. I hope he can keep it together.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

You don’t think the “all-important master planning process for the Great Redwood Trail by examining potential trail alignment, trail construction and long-term management costs, terrain suitability, rail banking potential, property easements and the possible governance structure of the trail. The planning process could take two years to complete” will take your concerns into account?

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
5 years ago

Likely $200 to $300 million (or more). Million bucks a mile.

Y Knot?
Guest
Y Knot?
5 years ago

They should just put a Chinese bullet train in so you can go Crescent City to San Francisco in 45 minutes.

Sam
Guest
Sam
5 years ago

Building boom along the trail !!! New towns a coming!!!

Jojo
Guest
Jojo
5 years ago

I think they need to fence the property on both sides when it travels theough private land.

Liz
Guest
Liz
5 years ago
Reply to  Jojo

They will leave this expense to the individual property owners. Maybe they will get a tax break but I would guess the fence will be an improvement and raise the property tax.

Thebigdeal
Guest
Thebigdeal
5 years ago

I’ll tell you what is time for. Its time that the people of california wake up and pay attention to what people like mcguire, huffman, harris,feistein,polosi, and newsome stand for and believe in. Wake up and vote them out! Vote John Cox for Govenor !!!!

CnD
Guest
CnD
5 years ago

This could be a big tourism draw, like the Pacific Crest Trail. https://www.pcta.org/our-work/trail-and-land-management/pct-visitor-use-statistics/

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
5 years ago
Reply to  CnD

Hiking through mountains… not equal to… Slogging along a low elevation railroad grade.

uri
Guest
uri
5 years ago

It doesn’t sound like this was funded. Meaning, in order to terminate the NCRA there would have to be funding to pay off creditors.

Stormy
Guest
Stormy
5 years ago

More waste of taxpayer money (whether “local” or federal) by the most spendthrift and corrupt governor in history. Mike “sanctuary state” McGuire is as stupid and wasteful, a cut of the same Marxist cloth. The unbelievable morons of this hijacked blue sanctuary state (makes me literally ill, as a California native – as ill as I get when some New Yorker says “Cali” – to use this phrase) voted this guy back into office. Newsome is ten times worse. He destroyed San Francisco. I cannot understand how such low IQ liberals (pardon the redundancy) dress themselves in the morning. Oh, right, one sleeve of their Mao suit at a time.

Thebigdeal
Guest
Thebigdeal
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

You are exacly correct! It really is unbievable. Mcguire is like bernie sanders on steriods! Total wack job with zero respect for us property owners

rollin
Guest
rollin
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

Stormy, you are my new hero

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

lol, actually what was a waste of taxpayer money was the bankrupt agency that ran the railroad lines which is where the trail is going to be. All of you complaining of your property lines that were under less management than what is being offered. They are gonna have meetings and you get to let people know of your complaints. Any of you attend one of the meetings ran by the debt ridden railroad agency which had easements to all your “private property.” They were a joke with one dude siphoning 100k year job and millions in debt to lawyers. Do not get me started about the real estate sales this agency controlled!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

It’s government that property owners need to be most afraid of. “Managed” will be the problem, not the solution. After your posts on abatement it’s surprising that you would even think there won’t be problems.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

lol, managing easements through property lines is much different then government regulating a plant you grew. I am not having an issue with abatement I am legally permitted. I sympathize with those that are having issues going through the permit process. I do not understand why the county cannot issue a permanent number only interim it has been almost two years.

S
Guest
S
5 years ago

Wow! This is better than sliced bread!!

Faro
Guest
Faro
5 years ago

I think it’s cool. Could be a good way for the adjacent property owners to earn some cash. Humboldt is an up and coming tourist destination. Anything that’s gets people up here or gets people talking about us is great.

But this is going to cost a lot of money because of all the lame regulations. You shouldn’t need a permit to move dirt.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  Faro

Yes, little lemonade stands along the trail.

local yocal
Guest
local yocal
5 years ago

with California Burning up regularly this is a terrible idea .Great theory

Casual Observer
Guest
Casual Observer
5 years ago

We need more trails in Humboldt County. Too much of it is private land that 90 % of the time is never set foot on. This will be a great way to explore our region without having to fill up the gas tank.

Real World
Guest
Real World
5 years ago

With the federal tax cut and the trillion dollar deficit per year that trump has now run up. There will be no funds for any of this.

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago
Reply to  Real World

If this project is to happen, not one cent of the funds should come from the federal government.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Real World

Yeah, that damn Trump has more than doubled the deficit, damnit that was the last president I keep getting them confused…

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Real World

It’s a State law, not Federal. But California has been touted to have the world’s sixth largest economy. Too bad it also has the will to spend like it was the first.

By the time it gets funded, it will probably be a reasonably good idea. Decades from now.

George
Guest
5 years ago

The Appalachian Trail runs through private property for most of its 2,000 miles. Of course, it was developed by private initiative, and is supported by the private citizens of the Appalachian Trail Conference. Portions of it are relocated from time to time because of property owner complaints. So where is the private support for this trail? What are the possibilities of rerouting to accommodate landowners?

The Anderson Valley Advertiser has been pointing out for months that McGuire gets an enormous payday from this bill, as does Doug Bosco.

On the other hand, Willits could use a boost in its economy. No one is mentioning tourists riding the SMART Train to get to the Skunk Train. If it should happen.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  George

In California, no private owner would ever have even a hearing about any of their complaints once a trail is established. Much less getting any action on it. Look at Casual Observer’s remark above. That describes in a nutshell the danger of letting the public near private land at all.

gunther
Guest
gunther
5 years ago

Like the fruit stands of old, we can have marijuana stands every mile or so from Rio Dell to Dos Rios. I got dibs on milepost 188.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  gunther

Find a need and fill it. How appropriate.

Wizard of OZ
Guest
Wizard of OZ
5 years ago

A really BIG issue is cell service, fire & ambulance access, police / ranger patrols by an as yet to be named agency: From Dos Rio to South Fork confluence there is a very steep canyon that could trap people in the event of a wildfire or flood. No cell service in rugged wilderness like environments, no access roads (all the old ranch access roads are gated off). Somebody breaks a leg or has a heart attack & they’re stuck where ever they are.No camp facilities. (BTW, the river itself is state property, not private property).

Humans cause a large portion of wildfires, and most city people are clueless about fires, and fire danger…and you want to invite them to hike & camp in the Eel River Canyon..?

The rail line between Ukiah & Willits will need a MAJOR overhaul with trees & over vegetation growing between the rails…

Do we really want CITY PEOPLE coming up here, the deciding to MOVE up here, when we have a severe housing shortage, just so they can commute to some city job down south..???

DonaldQuelp
Guest
4 years ago

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cksilver
Guest
cksilver
4 years ago

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