About the Rails-to-Trails path planned between Mifflinburg and Lewisburg, it might be said: This hike has been hobbled by controversy since its first steps.
The trek should be worth the trouble.
The project first raised the ire of neighboring property owners who worried that having hikers traveling near their land would create liability problems. Trail organizers found themselves on sound footing when presented with this concern -- Pennsylvania law offers explicit protection against injury claims raised by those using Rails-to-Trails paths.
With that matter largely behind them, Rails-to-Trails advocates might be happily looking forward to the beginning of work on the project. A salvage company has begun removing the remains of the old rail line and the state Department of Transportation has promised to deliver a $3.7 million check to help pay for the path.
Unfortunately, a quirk of timing placed the Rails-to-Trails project in a awkward spot, receiving word of the substantial grant as state officials also announced that belt-tightening might lead to the closing of a number of state parks, including Union County's R.B. Winter State Park.
As the Lewisburg Area Recreation Authority's Trey Casimir pointed out Wednesday night, Union County officials could not divert the trails money to keep the state park open if they wanted to do so.
"If we don't take it, someone else will, perhaps a project in Williamsport or Pittsburgh," Casimir said. "The grant money we received has nothing to do with the proposed park closing."
The park and the path would be complementary to each other and make Union County a more attractive destination for visitors interested in outdoor activities. While property owners along the path have bristled at the thought of hikers and bicyclists passing by, merchants ought to be happily anticipating the opportunity to capitalize on an influx of potential customers.
It may be too optimistic to believe that many travelers from outside the region will add Union County to their travel plans. However, as the economy spurs more people to seek inexpensive vacation alternatives, having a pair of nearby outdoors destinations would give residents of the Central Susquehanna Valley an opportunity to save on travel costs and keep their dollars in the local economy.
Union County ought to be able to have its cake and eat it, too. Or, in this case have a state park and a Rails-to-Trails project.
Opinion
On the right track
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