RAIL TRAIL OR RAIL WITH TRAIL
Rail Trail If rail service is not reactivated, a rail trail conversion would involve the removal of the existing railroad tracks and constructing a greenway on the center of the existing rail bed, similar to the nearby American Tobacco Trail or the Dunn-Erwin Rail Trail. The Federal Railbanking process can allow for this type of conversion if Norfolk Southern wanted to preserve the possibility of reinstating rail service in the future and maintain ownership of the line.
The inactive Norfolk Southern railroad line could connect multiple neighborhoods,
Action Park, the Dog Park, and Dr. William Freeman Park, along with
connection opportunities near Lincoln Heights Elementary School as well as near Fleming Loop Park further to the southwest. Regionally, this can be a key connection opportunity between the heart of Fuquay-Varina and the proposed regional connection between the American Tobacco Trail and Raven Rock State Park. If implemented, this trail would become a key component of the local transportation network while also potentially serving as a
• Drainage: Consider the impact the rail-with-trail may have on the adjacent rail line’s drainage system. In certain cases, a new or modified drainage system might need to be installed to serve both the railroad and trail. Setback Setback is the distance between the edge of a rail-with-trail and the centerline of the closest active railroad track. The range of setback on existing rails-with-trails varies considerably, from seven to 200 feet, with an average of approximately 32 feet. 59 A comparison of rail-with-trail setback with both train speed and frequency reveals little correlation, with some trails reporting a narrow setback existing along high speed and frequently traveled rail lines. along this corridor, two options should be considered and would require an agreement with Norfolk Southern, the owner of the rail line. Rail with Trail If rail service were to be reactivated, this option would entail developing a trail within the railroad ROW but separated and parallel to the existing railroad tracks. This could be accomplished whether or not rail service is activated in the future. local and regional destination trail. When examining trail development
Right: American Tobacco Trail (Rail Trail example)
Below: Rail with trail example from the USDOT “Rails with Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned” (2021) report.
Figure 9: Setback and Separation Definition.
Left: From page 47 of the USDOT “Rails with Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned” (2021) report. Setback is the distance between the edge of a rail- with-trail and the centerline of the closest active railroad track. The range of setback on existing rails-with-trails varies considerably, from seven to 200 feet, with an average of approximately 32 feet (based on a sample size of 78). A comparison of rail-with-trail setback with both train speed and frequency reveals little correlation, with some trails reporting a narrow setback existing along high speed and frequently traveled rail lines.
Pine Creek Connector Trail alongside SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority Tracks, Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Simone Collins Landscape Architecture and American Engineers Group, LLC)
Figure 10: Minimum Rail-with- Trail Setback Depends on the Specific Situation
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Section III: Policy and Perspectives This section provides information on the policies of railroad companies, including freight, excursion, and passenger railroads, FUQUAY-VARINA PEDESTRIAN PLAN
CHAPTER 3: INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
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