Politics & Government

Doodle Line Trail in Due Diligence Phase

City officials remain committed to project, provided details can be worked out.

“A lot of people have wondered what we're going to do with the Doodle Line,” Mayor Larry Bagwell said Thursday during his State of the City Address. “That is a big problem right now.”

The Doodle Trail project would link Easley and Pickens by creating a bicycle and walking trail using the old Pickens Railway rail bed, known locally as the Doodle Line.

Easley and Pickens City Councils want to work together on the project, with each city buying a portion of the rail bed.

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“We're going to buy it, if it all works out through the lawyers,” Bagwell said.

Bagwell asked City Administrator Fox Simons to give an update on the legalities concerning purchasing the landed needed for their trail.

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“We are in our due diligence period,” Simons said. “We have performed an environmental phase I assessment, they are doing a little bit of digging, there's some questions about where the underground storage tanks were. We're doing a title search, property search, those results should be available in a couple of weeks and we'll where we stand at that time.”

“Both the City of Easley and the City of Pickens are still both very strong supporters of the project, but we have to do our due diligence,” he continued.

Bagwell says he's often asked how the two cities will work together on the project.

“Pickens has said they'll pay half the cost, we'll pay half the cost,” Bagwell said.

He said Easley is prepared to shoulder the expense if needed.

“At our retreat a couple of weeks ago, I asked council 'What if, for some reason, Pickens was to back out, didn't have any money or whatever, would you be willing to go it alone?” and most of them said yes,” Bagwell said. “We could afford it to buy it, but we want Pickens to be a part of it.”

Bagwell said the project will benefit Easley and will new business to downtown Easley

“If this materializes, this will be a big plus for Easley,” he said. “This will be the starting point for that trail. The City of Pickens, it'll be a great thing for them – stopping and starting. If you don't believe it's a big thing, go to Travelers Rest and see what it's done for them. It's been tremendous.”

Bagwell said he knows Easley and Pickens can work together on the project.
“I'm from Easley, I married a girl from Pickens and we've been working together,” he said. “It can be done.”

Editor's Note: We've run letters in support of and letters opposing the Doodle Line project. Where do you stand? Let us know, either by leaving a comment or sending a letter to jason.evans@patch.com


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