Dear Trail Stakeholders:
As reported in our 2024 year-end report, the City of Hudson is acquiring a 1-mile portion of the Akron Secondary Line from Norfolk-Southern. The two parties reached an agreement in November and submitted it to the Surface Transportation Board to approve the "abandonment" of a line they consider as "active." The approval process is slow, but it is hoped that it will be completed by this fall. Once converted to a trail, the right-of-way (shaded in turquoise above) will connect Veterans Way on the north end to Barlow Road on the south.
On Tuesday, March 4th, Hudson City Council also approved the purchase of portions of three parcels of land adjacent to the rail right of way. In total, they amount to just over 35 acres of undeveloped woodland (shaded in blue above). Importantly, this land connects Veterans Way Park and MacLaren Woods on the south and east side of the abandoned rail line as well as connecting to Cascade Park and Ellsworth Meadows Golf Course on the west side of the line. The various parks are shaded in green above.
The city has not yet stated what the land will be used for, but the opportunities are many. We compliment Hudson on having the foresight to identify this opportunity and act upon it.
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