SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — An ATV park might be making its way to Lackawanna County in the future.
People gathered on Wednesday to air their opinions and find out more about the potential project.
28/22 News Reporter Avery Nape spoke with some of these residents to find out how the community is feeling about the plan.
Around 50 people came out to Wednesday's meeting, the final meeting of a feasibility study funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
The study took more than a year to find out the possibility of building a trail system for ATV enthusiasts to enjoy.
Riding ATVs can be dangerous, but with the right safety measures, it can also be a fun way to get outside.
The problem, especially in Lackawanna County, is finding the right place to do it legally.
Over the last year, the county looked into whether building an ATV park was possible.
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In 2024, Lackawanna County applied for a DCNR grant to conduct a study in order to address a number of ATV safety concerns within the county.
A representative of Michael Baker International, the company contracted to conduct the study, says the benefits of such a project would be far-reaching.
"It's answering a safety question, it's addressing an illegal trespass, illegal riding issue, and then the additional opportunity piled onto that is the bonus side of there's potential economic development opportunity here as well for the county," Michael Baker International Senior Vice President Steven Barber said.
Wednesday's meeting was the final one of the study.
Roughly 50 residents came out to the meeting to share their questions and concerns about the potential project.
One man I spoke with from Throop says he's all for it as it would be a way for people to get outdoors who are otherwise unable.
"I can't hike anymore, so for me, I go for a ride. That gets me back outdoors, makes me feel whole again, you know," Throop resident James Corrigan expressed.
James Corrigan also says having a place to go ride is crucial to promoting safe riding practices.
As it stands now, the study has identified a roughly 36-mile-long trail, stretching from Carbondale to Jessup, and then from Jessup to Montage Mountain.
17 land owners were identified along the proposed route. Barber says, while the concept is there, it's going to take some leg work to make it a reality.
"We drew a line on a map and then we based some assumptions on that and said 'here's what it could look like.' if one of those land owners says 'no, you can't use this point.' from point A to point B, you look somewhere else," Barber explained.
This was a feasibility study, and nothing about this potential project is set in stone.
The final report from the study will be sent out later this year.
From there it will be up to the county and DCNR to determine if, when, and how the project will be implemented.
