On January 8th, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners will discuss the purchase of the 13-mile rail corridor between High Springs and Newberry using Wild Spaces Public Places funds (at about 10 am). Your support for this project is needed!
You don't have to wait to contact the commissioners. Email your support of the High Springs- Newberry rail trail corridor purchase to xxxxxx@alachuacounty.us .

***History***
The Alachua County Commission asked their staff and the Trust for Public Lands to plan for and negotiate acquisition of the approximately 13-mile railroad corridor for a new rail trail after a notification of abandonment by CSX in 2014. The Commission voted multiple times in support of the trail over the last 2.5 years. The project was included on Alachua County’s, High Springs’s, and Newberry's Wild Spaces Public Places lists, which were advertised to voters. WSPP funding is available to acquire the corridor. High Springs is strongly in support of this trail and has committed a portion of their WSPP funding, as well funding from their CRA and other sources to the project. High Springs sees that the rail trail would expand their ecotourism-based economy. The spur in downtown High Springs presents an opportunity for incorporating a rail trail to the Santa Fe River with a large area for a park, museum, and other uses. The County is the only interested party in purchasing the corridor through a process called railbanking. If the corridor is not purchased and is abandoned by CSX, easements revert to land owners and it will be next to impossible to assemble this corridor again. Fences will go up and the land will be eventually be developed.
***Trail connections***
The State of Florida recognizes the economic importance of a connected network of long-distance paved trails and has dedicated millions of dollars a year for trail construction. The Coast-to-Coast Connector through Central Florida benefits from state funding to connect a series of trails for 250 miles across the state. North Central Florida is also looking to “close the gaps” from the Naturecoast Trail in the west, to the Archer Braid Trail, to the UF Campus Greenway, to the Gainesville downtown connector trails, to the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail, and then to Palatka where the St Johns River to the Sea Loop and the Palatka-to-Lake Butler Trails meet. The High Springs-Newberry Trail would close most of the gap between the planned eastward expansion of the Naturecoast Trail and the current Oleno Trail to the north. This trail would also connect downtown High Springs to the planned Poe Springs Trail. Connections and distance make rail trails attractive to users, particularly those who travel for great distance to enjoy the trails. Please see the Office of Greenways and Trails website for maps and more information about the benefits of trails (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/).
***Benefits of this trail***
Apart from the recreational opportunities and economic impact this trail would bring, the tree-lined railroad corridor traverses agricultural land that is slowly transitioning to housing developments. This trail would act as a linear greenspace and non-motorized transportation corridor for future development to build around. It is a possible wildlife corridor, too. Western Alachua County lacks the outdoor recreational opportunities that are abundant in the east. High Springs is a major eco-tourism center and bicycle community. The trail will begin in downtown High Springs, providing huge economic opportunity.
***Take action***
Please attend the January 8th meeting to show your support. Also, please send your email in support of the purchase of the rail trail corridor acquisition to the County Commissioners at xxxxxx@alachuacounty.us as soon as possible. A brief email is all that is needed.

Information provided by Kristin Young.