Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council

The Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council was officially formed in April of 2022 by MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note as a result of L.D. 1133, An Act To Amend the Transportation Laws.

The Bill, passed by the State Legislature in 2021, established guidelines for the review of nonrail recreational or nonrecreational transportation use of state-owned inactive rail corridors by Rail Corridor Use Advisory Councils. Advisory Councils will review and make recommendations on the likelihood, economic benefits and costs of potential uses of the rail corridor, including, but not limited to, rail use, trail use or bikeways. Any non-rail use of a rail corridor must be considered by a council to be interim in nature, and all such rail corridors must be preserved for future rail use.

The Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council reviewed the approximately 26.5-mile section of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail corridor known as the Berlin Subdivision from railroad mile post 0.0 in Portland to railroad mile post 26.5. The final report and recommendation of the council is located below.

Supporting Documents