Biking and hiking corridors that pass through the city but are *entirely separate* from the traffic contribute to the quality of life and catalyze land values, commercial economic development and housing along their corridors. But it is very difficult to get such corridors in the oldest, most tightly developed parts of the city.

I would also like to see a study of which businesses along the 7th ave train and the Main/ NP ave train lines actually use the trains. Some do, but perhaps, few. And some of those would like to upgrade their facilities and would entertain an offer for a buyout from our community. It is worth running a cost/ benefit analysis (which attributes value to increased access to recreation as well as anticipate new business receipts) for buying out the existing train corridors, providing the railroads new corridors to either service our now more heavily industrialized parts of the city or route around it completely.

One extension of such a network, though not currently a rail line, could be in the very wide, turfed setback on the west side of 25th St. A new path pushed back from the street with dense plantings separating it from 25th could be routed to connect the neighborhoods along it - Westgate, Prairiewood, South High- with (a potentially more walkable) 13th Avenue, downtown and NDSU via Jefferson, Unicorn and Johnson Parks. If there is sufficient buffer along the highway to add a path and dense plantings to connect Prairiewood with Lindenwood Park, we would have a big 7-8 mile loop.

In the end, everyone could win. We could have these great recreation corridors that connect neighborhoods w/ commercial development and breathe new life along 7th Ave N. and Main avenue. We will get rid of the long waits for drivers at the at-grade track/ street crossings. It will allow the BNSF to move unfettered through our countryside and perhaps have new spurs to serve clients in our industrial areas. Businesses in old, dated facilities get new digs.