Grimes Line Rail Trail

If you are a landowner in Polk County, Iowa, and your property is next to the proposed Grimes Line rail trail, you may be entitled to compensation. This railway corridor extends approximately 12.2 miles through the communities of Grimes, Urbandale, Clive, Windsor Heights, West Des Moines, and Des Moines. The corridor runs between railroad milepost 340.8 near Des Moines and milepost 353.0 near Grimes.

It is established law that the federal government must pay you for the portion of your land that is currently the railroad corridor or was once used by the railroad and is now being converted into a public trail. Because many railroad corridors were originally established through easements, landowners may still hold property rights in the land underlying the corridor.

Norfolk Southern Railway Company has filed to abandon this section of rail line, and local governments and conservation organizations have requested that the corridor be preserved for future trail use. Specifically, the Polk County Conservation Board, the Cities of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, Urbandale, Clive, and Grimes, along with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, have petitioned the Surface Transportation Board for a Notice of Interim Trail Use (NITU) and railbanking authorization. If approved, the corridor could become part of the Central Iowa Trail System, a regional network of recreational trails.

A NITU is a critical step in the trail conversion process. When a railroad corridor is preserved for trail use instead of being fully abandoned, affected landowners may have a claim for compensation under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. We want to ensure that you, as a landowner, are justly compensated for the taking of your property rights.

Our firm has extensive experience handling lawsuits asserting the property rights of landowners against the federal government in the United States Court of Federal Claims. These lawsuits are referred to as “Rails-to-Trails” cases.

At Flint Cooper, our dedicated team of attorneys take pride in making your claims process simple and stress free. There are no upfront fees and no out-of-pocket expenses. The time to file a claim is limited. If you would like to discuss your claim and understand your rights in more detail, please contact us toll-free at +1.866.816.7383, complete the Free Case Consultation form on this page, email us at railstotrails@flintcooper.com, or schedule a time with our team to meet with you at your home or property.