MONROE - The Pecatonica Rail Transit Commission Friday learned the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. needs to extend the rail lines west of Monroe because a new business might be coming to the county.
Until the state approves the plan to extend the railroad 4.5 miles west of Monroe, the commission will allow all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles to continue to use the trail.
Wisconsin & Southern President William Gardener said he has talked to a group that wants to build a business west of Monroe in Green County. He said the business needs access to the railroad.
"This will bring jobs to the area," he said. "I'm not here to destroy (the trail). I have talked to people who want to build farther down the line."
Gardener wouldn't divulge any information about the business. He said he would leave it up to those involved to make any announcements when they are ready.
Commission member Jed Gant, who opposed giving the trail back to the railroad, is suspicious of the idea that a new business needs the railroad.
"We always hear the word 'potential' and somehow it slips through our hands," he said.
Gardener said he was confident the group would build in the near future.
In February, the railroad plans to apply for state funding to help cover some of the cost to extend the railroad. Frank Huntington of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said the department will decide by June if it will approve the railroad's application for financial aid.
Until the department makes its decision, ATV riders and snowmobile riders will continue to use the trail.
Don Noble, of the Green County ATV Club, said he was pleased that riders will get a few more months to enjoy the trail, which connects Monroe to Mineral Point.
All-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles were to stop using the trail in January after the commission voted in July to give 4.5 miles of the trail west of Monroe back to the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.
When the railroad gave up the line from Monroe to Mineral Point, which became the Cheese Country Trail, in the late 1980s, it was with the understanding it would get the trail back if it ever expanded rail service. In 2000, the railroad and the Pecatonica Rail Transit Commission signed a contract to that effect.
A portion of the contract states the railroad has to give the Tri-County Trails Commission, which oversees the Cheese Country Trail, six months notification of its plan to take back part of the trail.
Several people spoke in support of the trail and asked the commission to keep the trail as it is.
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh said the loss of the trail head in Monroe would have negative economic impact on the city and other communities along the trail.
"If this trail head is eliminated, it will have a domino effect to Darlington," Marsh said. "Riders will go elsewhere."
Green County Board member Jerry Guth said the trail no longer would begin in Monroe and hurt the city. He said ATVs could find an alternative route on a township road, but snowmobiles can't ride on the road.
Green County ATV Club President Bob Voegeli said dirt bike riders wouldn't be able to ride on the road, either. He said there are many dirt bike riders who ride the Cheese Country Trail.
Noble presented 600 signatures from a petition to preserve the trail.
Gardener said he wanted to work with people to preserve the trail and make it possible for railroad and trail supporters to use the trail.
"It's going to be difficult for a rail with trail," Guth told the commission.
There's a bridge over Honey Creek that would need to be widened, and there are some areas along the trail that have steep dropoffs, the commission was told.
Huntington said the state might be able to help the trail supporters with funding to widen the trail to make it usable for the railroad as well as trail riders.
He couldn't tell the more than 60 people who attended the meeting if the state would definitely be able to help or not, however.
Until the state approves the plan to extend the railroad 4.5 miles west of Monroe, the commission will allow all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles to continue to use the trail.
Wisconsin & Southern President William Gardener said he has talked to a group that wants to build a business west of Monroe in Green County. He said the business needs access to the railroad.
"This will bring jobs to the area," he said. "I'm not here to destroy (the trail). I have talked to people who want to build farther down the line."
Gardener wouldn't divulge any information about the business. He said he would leave it up to those involved to make any announcements when they are ready.
Commission member Jed Gant, who opposed giving the trail back to the railroad, is suspicious of the idea that a new business needs the railroad.
"We always hear the word 'potential' and somehow it slips through our hands," he said.
Gardener said he was confident the group would build in the near future.
In February, the railroad plans to apply for state funding to help cover some of the cost to extend the railroad. Frank Huntington of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said the department will decide by June if it will approve the railroad's application for financial aid.
Until the department makes its decision, ATV riders and snowmobile riders will continue to use the trail.
Don Noble, of the Green County ATV Club, said he was pleased that riders will get a few more months to enjoy the trail, which connects Monroe to Mineral Point.
All-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles were to stop using the trail in January after the commission voted in July to give 4.5 miles of the trail west of Monroe back to the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.
When the railroad gave up the line from Monroe to Mineral Point, which became the Cheese Country Trail, in the late 1980s, it was with the understanding it would get the trail back if it ever expanded rail service. In 2000, the railroad and the Pecatonica Rail Transit Commission signed a contract to that effect.
A portion of the contract states the railroad has to give the Tri-County Trails Commission, which oversees the Cheese Country Trail, six months notification of its plan to take back part of the trail.
Several people spoke in support of the trail and asked the commission to keep the trail as it is.
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh said the loss of the trail head in Monroe would have negative economic impact on the city and other communities along the trail.
"If this trail head is eliminated, it will have a domino effect to Darlington," Marsh said. "Riders will go elsewhere."
Green County Board member Jerry Guth said the trail no longer would begin in Monroe and hurt the city. He said ATVs could find an alternative route on a township road, but snowmobiles can't ride on the road.
Green County ATV Club President Bob Voegeli said dirt bike riders wouldn't be able to ride on the road, either. He said there are many dirt bike riders who ride the Cheese Country Trail.
Noble presented 600 signatures from a petition to preserve the trail.
Gardener said he wanted to work with people to preserve the trail and make it possible for railroad and trail supporters to use the trail.
"It's going to be difficult for a rail with trail," Guth told the commission.
There's a bridge over Honey Creek that would need to be widened, and there are some areas along the trail that have steep dropoffs, the commission was told.
Huntington said the state might be able to help the trail supporters with funding to widen the trail to make it usable for the railroad as well as trail riders.
He couldn't tell the more than 60 people who attended the meeting if the state would definitely be able to help or not, however.