Four town hall meetings are set this week for Missouri landowners whose properties are affected by the potential conversion of the Rock Island Line Railroad into a recreational trail spanning the state.
Attorneys Meghan Largent and Stephen Davis will host the meetings. They plan to discuss the federal government's possible authorization to convert the railway into a 144-mile hiking and biking trail.
Two town hall meetings are scheduled for today. The first is at noon at the Miller County VFW 2442 in Eldon, followed by a second meeting at 5 p.m. in the Citizens Civic League Hall in Meta.
On Thursday, landowners can visit the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Finally, Friday's town hall meeting is set for noon at the VFW Post 6133 in Owensville.
Another informational meeting was held last week in Westphalia, with input from representatives of Ameren Missouri, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Farm Bureau and the national Rails to Trails Conservancy.
The old Rock Island Line Railroad corridor runs from Kansas City to near St. Louis, crossing 10 Missouri counties, including Cole. When the Rock Island Line Railroad ceased operation in the mid-20th century, the railroad corridor was sold to the Missouri Central Railroad Company. After that entity halted operations, the railroad became the property of Ameren Missouri.
Supporters of the trail see it as a potential economic benefit to the communities along the railroad corridor. But others, including the Missouri Farm Bureau, oppose its construction on the grounds that ownership of the land should revert to the original landowners, rather than being railbanked to allow interim trail use even if the railroad wants to re-establish a route through the area.
During the meetings, the attorneys also will review landowners' claims for compensation if the corridor is turned into a recreational trail instead of being granted to the landowners.
Authorization to convert the railway into a trail is currently pending approval by the U.S. Department of Surface Transportation Board.