This year, Palmer will permanently remove a historic stretch of rail from its downtown, signaling a significant shift in the city’s priorities. The railroad track removal will make way for a long-needed, handicapped-accessible crosswalk for Fireweed Avenue without pulling up the steel rails embedded in the road.
The exposed metal has damaged vehicles and caused falls near the Alaska Veterans and Pioneer Home, promoting widespread safety concerns. Public works officials say the rails prevent lowering the road grade, making the crosswalk installation impossible without their removal.
As confirmed by the officials during a recent council meeting, this project will cost $300,000 and will be completed by the end of this year. This would eliminate the need for constant patching every few months. The Palmer City Council voted unanimously in favour of the removal during a session inside the 1935 train depot.
City officials say the decision doesn’t erase the past, but it does mark the end of a decades-long debate over the future. While the rail hasn’t been in regular use since 2008, it remains deeply symbolic. The last major train to stop near Palmer dropped off fairgoers in 2024 just south of the city centre.
Some residents, like longtime railroad supporter Denise Staz, say the move extinguishes any realistic hope of bringing passenger trains back downtown. Her late husband worked for Alaska Railroad, and she still believes the railway could boost Palmer’s visibility and economy.
But practical barriers remain, bringing the line up to federal and Alaska Railroad standards would cost millions, require reworking intersections and possibly impact nearby historic buildings.
Even so, small pockets of hope remain. One idea is to bring a restored Locomotive 557 through a short spur line near the city’s airport. The council has pledged support for that project, but officials say it’s still far from reality.
