Trail Along Railroad May Start East of Battle Ground

By Michael Andersen, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.

May 15–A 2.7 mile stretch of railroad east of Battle Ground will probably be the first link in a proposed trackside trail across Clark County.

That’s the Vancouver-Clark parks department preference, planners told county commissioners Wednesday. But they’ve only got enough money lined up to build half of that.

Between a $450,000 federal grant and $550,000 from local property taxes and real estate sales, there’s enough to build a trail beside the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad from Northeast 167th Avenue to Battle Ground Lake State Park, to the north and east.

West of 167th Avenue, the trail would eventually stretch to Fairgrounds Park in Battle Ground. But wetlands at the base of Tukes Mountain will make those improvements more expensive, project manager Lisa Goorjian said Wednesday.

The city-county parks department is hoping that a state recreation grant will eventually help pay for them.

The trail would be designed for walking, biking and horse-riding. Parks planners brought the idea to the public in February in a series of open houses.

Commissioners will probably make a final decision in July on where to start building the trail, Goorjian said.

The first work might begin in late 2009, Goorjian said earlier this year.

The full railroad, owned by the county, runs 33 miles from west Vancouver through Barberton, Battle Ground and Yacolt to Chelatchie Prairie.

Michael Andersen covers Clark County: 360-735-4508 or michael.andersen@columbian.com.

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