ATV trail study receives funding

ABCD Corp. gets $249K to determine how best to create recreation network

The Altoona Blair County Development Corp. has received a $249,000 state grant for a feasibility study to determine how best to create a network of all-terrain vehicle trails in Blair, Cambria, Centre and Clearfield counties.

Such a network could boost the region's economy, according to Steve McKnight, president and CEO of ABCD Corp., and John Buerkle of Pashek+MTR, the consultant who will undertake the 18-month study.

The Central Allegheny Highlands ATV study "will evaluate the feasibility, interest, support and capacity of infrastructure to provide safe, legal, convenient and connected ATV riding opportunities for family recreation and tourism," states an ABCD news release. "Currently the region lacks legal ATV riding opportunities and destinations to meet the needs of 15,877 active ATV registrations in the four-county region."

The hope is to connect existing legal ATV trails, potential new trails, main streets, sites and scenery after consulting with planning, economic development and tourism agencies in the region, according to the news release.

The trails could be on private property or public property owned by municipalities or organizations like water authorities, officials said.

Obtaining various sorts of permissions, including zoning, will be part of the effort, McKnight said.

But promoters of the idea don't plan to force anything on anyone -- not the private or public landowners or the business interests of the communities that could otherwise benefit, according to Buerkle.

Such businesses include campgrounds, RV parks, motels and hotels, ATV repair shops, mom-and-pop convenience stores, restaurants, gas stations and main streets, officials said.

A trail network could also generate entrepreneurial opportunities.

After its development, groups like ABCD Corp. could market the network to promote tourism and investment, the new release states.

Because ATVs can travel a long way in a relatively short time, it makes sense for the effort to encompass a large area, as represented by the four counties, McKnight said.

Creating an extensive network can turn what would otherwise be a one-day trip for a family or group into a multi-day affair, involving a real "journey," he said.

The study effort aligns with a state initiative to promote outdoor recreation as an economic development tool, according to McKnight and Buerkle.

ATV users bring a lot of gear, which represents spending power, McKnight said.

After trail development, there would be heavy reliance on volunteer groups of trail users to handle maintenance, McKnight said.

Properly designed ATV trails avoid orientations that create erosion and other environmental damage, according to McKnight and Buerkle.

In the winter, there could be some overlap for snowmobile use on the ATV network, according to Buerkle.

There's less likelihood of overlap for mountain bikes, runners and hikers, although there are examples of ATV trails with separate parallel tracks for those other uses, he said.

A steering committee has been assembled to help with the study.

The grant is from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, under administration of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Developing ATV trails to spur economic development has worked elsewhere, according to Buerkle.

He cited the Hatfield-McCoy Trails in West Virginia, Rock Run Recreation Area in Cambria County, the Snow Shoe Rails to Trails and the Bloody Skillet ATV riding area in the Centre region, and riding trails in Elk County and the anthracite region in northeast Pennsylvania.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.