Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation to Implement
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0956
Sponsors: MOORE, MINGO

Legislative Document
No. 956
S.P. 415
In Senate, March 11, 2025
Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation to Implement 
the Recommendation of the Calais Branch Rail Use Advisory 
Council to Create a Multi-use Trail
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on March 6, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MOORE of Washington.
Cosponsored by Representative MINGO of Calais and
Representatives: MCINTYRE of Lowell, STROUT of Harrington, TUELL of East Machias.
Preamble.  Whereas, the State Railroad Preservation and Assistance Act requires 
the Department of Transportation to seek legislative approval for any conversion of a state-
owned rail corridor in which the department controls the right-of-way to a nonrail 
recreational or nonrecreational transportation use; and
Whereas, the law allows the Commissioner of Transportation to establish a rail 
corridor use advisory council upon petition of one or more entities; and
Whereas, the Department of Transportation received letters of support from all 
communities along the rail corridor requesting the formation of a rail corridor use advisory 
council; and
Whereas, the Calais Branch Rail Use Advisory Council convened and met for 8 
months in 2024; and
Whereas, ten of the 11 Calais Branch Rail Use Advisory Council members, with one 
member abstaining, voted to recommend the interim conversion of the existing railroad 
track to a multi-use trail; and
Whereas, the State Railroad Preservation and Assistance Act further provides that 
once the Commissioner of Transportation receives a report from a rail corridor use advisory 
council that includes a recommendation of track removal or other change for interim 
nonrail use and the commissioner concurs with that recommendation, the commissioner 
shall seek legislative approval of the recommendation by submitting legislation to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters prior 
to track removal or the other change for nonrail use; and
Whereas, any track removal or other change for nonrail use is considered interim in 
nature and rail corridors are to be preserved for future rail use as provided under the State 
Railroad Preservation and Assistance Act; now, therefore, be it
Sec. 1.  Calais Branch rail trail recommendation.  Resolved:  That, consistent 
with the majority recommendation of the Calais Branch Rail Use Advisory Council, 12.26 
miles of inactive existing track material from the Route 214 intersection in Ayers Junction 
in Pembroke to Route 1 in Calais must be removed and replaced with a multi-use trail on 
the existing railbed.  The completed multi-use trail is interim in nature, and the project to 
create the multi-use trail is subject to available funding resources, permitting and municipal 
agreements.
SUMMARY
This resolve requires, consistent with the majority recommendation of the Calais 
Branch Rail Use Advisory Council, that 12.26 miles of inactive existing railroad track 
material from the Route 214 intersection in Ayers Junction in Pembroke to Route 1 in 
Calais must be removed and replaced with a multi-use trail on the existing railbed.