The Port of Coos Bay’s South Coast Rail Trail project is a Port-led community initiative exploring the opportunity to create a new regional trail by transforming a 16-22 mile unused section of the Coos Bay Rail Line into a safe, connected, multimodal corridor serving Oregon's South Coast. The project seeks to create new opportunities for walking, bicycling, and other active transportation while improving connections between North Bend, Coos Bay, and Coquille. By linking neighborhoods with schools, healthcare, employment centers, parks, commercial districts, and other community destinations, the South Coast Rail Trail has the potential to strengthen mobility, support economic development, and enhance quality of life throughout the region.

The idea for the rail-to-trails project did not emerge overnight. During the public engagement process for the Port of Coos Bay's Strategic Business Plan update in 2025, community members expressed interest in exploring whether the corridor could one day become a multi-use trail connecting communities along the South Coast. Those conversations prompted the Port to take a closer look at the concept and engage regional partners about what such a project might entail.

Those discussions also revealed that the idea itself is not new. Previous Port leaders, community members, and regional partners had explored similar concepts in the past, including the possibility of a rails-with-trails corridor. While those earlier efforts did not move forward, they demonstrated longstanding community interest in improving regional connectivity through the corridor.

One of the greatest challenges facing rail-to-trail projects across the country is securing the cooperation of the railroad that owns or controls the corridor. Negotiating access or acquiring rail property can take years, require significant financial resources, and often become the largest obstacle to advancing a project. Because the Port owns both the railroad corridor and the Coos Bay Rail Line, it has a unique opportunity to voluntarily explore whether this inactive section of rail could provide long-term public benefits while continuing to fulfill its responsibilities as steward of publicly owned infrastructure. That unique circumstance makes it possible to explore the concept collaboratively from the outset rather than spending years negotiating access before a feasibility study can even begin.

The project includes an Initial Study Area between Coos Bay and Coquille, with a Future Extension that could evaluate opportunities to continue north throught through the cities of Coos Bay and North Bend. These corridors have the potential to create the South Coast Rail Trail while improving regional connectivity and preserving the unique character and natural beauty of Oregon's South Coast.

The Port is currently seeking grant funding to complete a comprehensive feasibility study. If awarded, the study will evaluate engineering considerations, environmental conditions, property ownership, community priorities, potential costs, funding opportunities, and implementation options. The study will help determine what opportunities and constraints exist and provide the information needed to guide future decisions about the trail.

While the Port is helping lead the grant application process, the early stages of the project have been shaped through collaboration with a diverse group of community partners. This collaborative effort brings together perspectives from economic development, tourism, philanthropy, transportation, and other community organizations to help inform the study and ensure a broad range of interests are considered at the outset.

Public involvement will be a critical part of the project. Community members, neighboring property owners, businesses, Tribes, public agencies, and other stakeholders will have opportunities to learn about the project, ask questions, and provide feedback throughout the study. No decisions have been made regarding future construction, and the purpose of the current effort is to develop a clear understanding of what is feasible and how the corridor could best serve the region.

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the project, the study process, and opportunities to stay involved. As the project moves forward, this resource will be updated with additional information and answers to new questions as they arise.