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--> --> Commuter rail service viable for valley, draft study finds By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Existing freight railroad lines could serve as the backbone for a commuter train service stretching from Ashland to Grants Pass that could ease traffic congestion, a preliminary study has found. The Southern Oregon Commuter Rail Study committees, made up of elected officials and staff from Jackson and Josephine counties, recently agreed to request funds from the Federal Transit Administration for further study of the proposed rail service. The committees hope to put in the request by late summer after winning further endorsements from other Rogue Valley transportation-oriented groups, according to John Morrison, community development manager for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. "It appears to be feasible," Morrison said. "We didn't find any fatal flaws. It appears it can fly." If implemented, morning and evening passenger train service could cost nearly $39 million for Ashland to Central Point service, and nearly $91 million for Ashland to Grants Pass service, with annual operating costs ranging from $6 to $10 million, according to the initial rail study. Funding could come, in part, from the Federal Transit Administration, Morrison said. While passenger trains could run on existing Central Oregon Pacific Railroad freight lines during peak commuter hours, the plan requires upgrades of tracks and crossings, new train stations, parking areas and connections with bus service, the study found. Freight trains would not travel on the lines during commuting hours, Morrison said. The actual launch of any passenger rail service would be several years away, but study participants agreed planning needs to begin now. Although funding remains a major hurdle, the study found no serious impediments to the viability of the plan, according to Morrison. He said the Rogue Valley has many of the conditions necessary to convince commuters to use alternative forms of transportation, such as passenger trains. "There needs to be high levels of congestion. We're all seeing increased congestion. The population is rising, but the use of automobiles is increasing even more rapidly than the increase in population," Morrison said. Although most commuters have yet to see a lack of parking or expensive parking fees that would cause them to leave their cars at home, the parking situation is worsening, according to Morrison. "As population and automobile use increase, we're going to see a parking squeeze," he said. Additionally, most Rogue Valley communities are concentrated along the railroad tracks because of historic patterns of settlement, making passenger service more viable, he said. Many area residents who attended three public meetings in Ashland, Medford and Grants Pass on the issue embraced the idea of commuter rail service. They said riding the train would save them the stress of traffic congestion and the hazards of the road, and would be a pleasurable mode of transportation for commuting to work, shopping and traveling to recreation sites. Some also said businesses would be able to attract workers from more distant communities. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing