Lodi Greenline grant could turn rails into trails
LODI — Supporters of a pathway for cyclists and pedestrians that would connect downtown Lodi and Woodbridge recently received some good news.
On Friday, the California Department of Transportation Division of Transportation Planning awarded the city of Lodi an $80,750 grant toward a feasibility study looking into a rails-totrails project, Lodi Greenline, a cycling and pedestrian path along 1.75 miles of unused rail line owned by Union Pacific. The rail exclusively serviced General Mills, which vacated its facility on Lower Sacramento and Turner roads in 2015. Bond Manufacturing currently occupies the former General Mills site but does not utilize the rail.
“There’s so much of a need and opportunity here for that potentially,” said Doug Bojack, a state attorney and board member with Bike Lodi, a group of cycling enthusiasts working to promote bicycle tourism in the Lodi area. “The project’s going to study that and the feasibility of that.”
Lodi City Manager Steve Schwabauer said the grant is an important step.
“But we have to keep it in perspective,” he said. “It’s a relatively small grant to study it. It’s not a grant to actually construct it. So, it’s a long way from actually happening, but it is pretty exciting to have it recognized as a project that’s worthy of looking at and having funded.”
The Greenline would follow the railroad spur that runs at a northward sloping angle east to west between the downtown and General Mills. Whether the rail spur would be removed or altered so that it could be utilized in the future, construction costs and environmental impact are among the questions and issues that need to be answered.
“There are a lot of things to look at, in terms of what it would look like, how it would work,” Schwabauer said.
Bojack and Schwabauer said construction could be funded through existing rails-to-trails grants, Measure K and Proposition 68, which voters passed in June 2018 that authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds for state and local parks. The deadline for completion of the feasibility study is Feb. 28, 2020.
Union Pacific and the city of Lodi could enter into any number of agreements regarding ownership of the rail, but “ultimately, any bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure that’s constructed within the city limits is going to be a city-operated, maintained facility,” Schwabauer said. “So if it’s going to happen, the council needs to be willing to say, ‘Yes, we will take it on and take on the maintenance and operation obligation’ and probably submit grant applications to find the resources to actually construct the project.”
Kathryn Siddle, who chairs Bike Lodi, said the city needs safe paths for cyclists and pedestrians. In 2018, Bike Lodi took part in 23 events and parked 978 bicycles. This year, Lodi will add four bike racks to the downtown area.
“We feel the support from the community is there,” she said. “Lodi’s a wonderful place to ride a bike, so people want to have a safe place for them and their kids to ride a bike or take a walk.”
Jeff Hood, director of parks and recreation for the city, said the proposed Greenline project presents an opportunity.
“From a recreational standpoint, it would be a great amenity, a great connection between downtown Lodi and Lodi Lake,” he said. “Cycling is growing as an activity, not only for people in Lodi but people who visit Lodi. Becoming more bicycle friendly, it would be another step in that direction.”
Bojack and Schwabauer said the Greenline project has been met with general acceptance. However, earlier this year in the Lodi News-Sentinel, a Lodi resident expressed concern, saying Lodi would be giving up “one of the few properties with rail access” were an industry interested in occupying the old General Mills plant.