(The following appeared on the Idaho Statesman website on January 8.)
BOISE, Idaho — Boise will receive $1 million over the next two years from a lease agreement with Union Pacific Railroad allowing the company to use 14 miles of city-owned track.
Boise owns 18.2 miles of track southeast of the city, running roughly parallel to Interstate 84, that it is not using. The lease provides new revenue for the city and will result in repairs and upgrades to the track. Union Pacific will use the track to store rail equipment.
A portion of the money likely will be used to promote economic development and the rest will be put into the general fund, though final determination of its use has not been made, according to city spokesman Adam Park.