Then, late this afternoon, we received news that the Covington City Council voted 4-2 last night not to authorize the Mayor to pursue purchase of the portion of the Central of Georgia Railroad corridor residing inside city limits.  The news is disappointing and puzzling.  But, we need to keep things in perspective and not lose sight of our broader goals. 

What happens now?  First, the Newton County Board of Commissioners holds both the federal grants and the first option on the purchase.  They still must act one way or another.  Next, should the county pass and Norfolk Southern initiate abandonment proceedings, Newton Trails will file a Request for Interim Trail Use (RITU) with the Federal Surface Transportation Board, which is the mechanism to formally petition NS to "railbank" the corridor and enter into an agreement for use as a trail.  Should those negotiations not result in an agreement and NS abandons, we will negotiate with any parties that step forward with an interest in purchasing all or part of the corridor.

Meanwhile, the railroad is only one piece of the puzzle.  Along with active projects for the Eastside and Turkey Creek/Yellow River trails, Newton County has several other greenway trails on the drawing board that are worthy of support.

So, please...  Keep putting up those signs and order a t-shirt.  If you've been following the Trail Talk Blog, you know how much is at stake. 

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