The Town of North Judson is finalizing plans for the sale of its short-line railroad. Last month, the town’s redevelopment commission voted to sell the 33-mile railroad corridor to Midwest & Bluegrass Rail for $2,725,000. The deal cleared another procedural hurdle last week, when the commission passed a resolution confirming the corridor’s economic development area, which was initially created last summer.
North Judson’s efforts to divest of its railroad properties have also provided an opportunity to the Town of LaCrosse. LaCrosse had expressed interest in abandoned railroad right-of-way that North Judson owns that could help with the development of LaCrosse’s new water plant, as well new retail at the northwest corner of U.S. 421 and State Road 8.
LaCrosse Town Council President Justin Kiel continued discussing the proposed deal with the North Judson Redevelopment Commission last week. North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe says the Town of LaCrosse has completed title searches, but North Judson Town Attorney Justin Schramm is still doing some research.
For one thing, it isn’t clear whether LaCrosse would obtain the property from the Town of North Judson itself or from its redevelopment commission. While North Judson got it as part of its railroad purchase, Schramm wasn’t sure if it would have been included in the description of the railroad corridor that was transferred to the redevelopment commission. In practice, though, the redevelopment commission and town council are made up of the same members.
Rowe notes that no terms for the proposed deal have been finalized, but more discussion is expected in the coming weeks.
LaCrosse officials are also keeping an eye on the sale’s impact on efforts to extend the Erie Trail toward Hebron. The redevelopment commission stipulated that Midwest & Bluegrass provide an easement to the Prairie Trails Club in the Starke County portion of the right of way.
Kiel asked last week whether that could be extended all the way to LaCrosse. North Judson officials said it’s likely too late to add that condition to the sale, but they noted that the railroad company seems to be willing to work with anybody, as long as safety can be maintained.
It was pointed out that gathering support from a continuous series of communities is crucial, in order to get the trail designated as part of a national route.
