MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The organization that manages Vermont’s snowmobile trail system is continuing its yearslong effort to build the longest multipurpose recreational trail in New England along an abandoned railroad bed in the northern part of the state.
So far, 32 miles have been completed of what is becoming the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail across northern Vermont between Swanton and St. Johnsbury. It is open to snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, bicyclists, horseback riders, runners and others.
The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers is now working to raise the money for its share of the estimated $10 million to $15 million it will take to finish the trail. The bulk of the money would come from funds made available through the National Trails Act.
The hope is the entire trail can be completed within two or three years, said the association’s Don Balcom, who is leading the effort to raise about $3 million.
After the project received its first federal funding in 2005, it was ridiculed by some as an example of irresponsible federal spending. But supporters maintain the money is well spent because tens of thousands of people will be drawn to the trail and the surrounding communities.
“Over and over again, we hear what a boost it has been for the local economy,” Balcom said.
Last year Jim and Yva Rose of Johnson started a business called Lamoille Valley Bike Tours to take advantage of the expanding rail trail. The Roses’ business rents bikes with small electronic motors that can give riders a boost when needed. They also provide tours of the area.
The e-bikes, as they are called, are not considered motor vehicles, but they make the trail accessible to more people, Jim Rose said.
“We’re focused on the trail because, one, it was the driving force behind our idea,” Rose said. “Two, we really believe in it and believe in the power that it can provide for our local economy and the state.”
The Lamoille Valley Railroad operated from 1877 until it was abandoned in 1994. In 1997, the snow travelers association, expanding beyond its usual role as the organization that manages the state’s snowmobile system, proposed turning it a four-season recreational trail.
The first section of the trail, between St. Johnsbury and West Danville, opened in 2015. Last year a 17-mile section between Morrisville and Cambridge Junction opened.
Construction plans for this year are to install a 300-foot bridge over the Lamoille River in Cambridge. While the bridge won’t extend the trail far, it is necessary to finish the entire trail.
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