An increasing number of people are walking or jogging along city-owned railroad tracks in Columbia, according to the city’s Utilities department. In recent weeks, Utilities noticed an uptick in people walking along the COLT railroad right of way, spokesperson Matt Nestor said in a news release.
The Columbia Terminal Railroad (COLT) is a city-owned railroad line that provides freight service from Columbia to the Norfolk Southern Railway in Centralia. Right of way refers to the strip of land railroads are legally entitled to use, according to a 2020 presentation from the Missouri Society of Professional Surveyors.
“We have had a few incidents in the last few months that have brought safety to the forefront of some discussions. Luckily there were no injuries involved,” said COLT Operational Manager Shane Riley, according to the release. “We would like to ask people to refrain from using the railroad tracks as a shortcut or for recreational purposes. That way, we can all make it home safely at the end of the day.”
The news release did not specify what incidents occurred, or the number of people identified walking along the railroad. First built around the Civil War, the rail line helped bring telegraph lines and other technology to Columbia, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting.
The city purchased the line from Norfolk Southern in 1987 to save it from abandonment. COLT, operated by Columbia Utilities, used to transport coal to the city power plant located along Business Loop 70. The power plant stopped burning coal in 2015 as the city pursued renewable energy sources.
Columbia removed parts of the rail line near Business Loop and College Avenue after it fell into deterioration, clearing the way for future development. In May, several business owners and community leaders floated a draft proposal to turn an abandoned section of the railroad into a “greenway” — a trail designed to incorporate conservation and other amenities.
Sections of the railroad are still in use, servicing businesses along Route B and state Highway 124. In September, the city received a $3.2 million grant to improve the railroad, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting. The city intends to add $800,000 to the project, for a total $4 million investment.
In September, Columbia Parks and Recreation presented a report to the City Council outlining plans to construct a trail along the COLT railway from Rogers Street to Brown Station Park, according to the release. However, construction of that trail is not expected to begin until 2030.