The Adirondack region needs your support for a major rail-to-trail conversion

Message from Tony Goodwin

"I am a member of the Steering Committee of a newly-formed organization, Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates (ARTA). This organization's goal is to push for removal of the rails north of Thendara (Old Forge) to increase the recreational benefit of the corridor. The primary winter use would be snowmobiling whose season would be extended. without the rails in place. Non-snow use would be strictly non-motorized, primarily bicycling.

Members of the Steering Committee are as follows: Dick Beamish (Adirondack Explorer magazine), Hope Frenette (Tupper Lake resident and business owner), Lee Keet (Saranac Lake resident and founder of ADK Action), Chris Keniston (Tupper Lake resident), Jim McCulley (Lake Placid Snowmobile Club), Joe Mercurio (Saranac Lake resident), and Scott Thompson (Beaver River resident and business owner).

ARTA has a web site, www.thearta.org, where there are links to articles, letters to the editor, and editorials regarding this issue. The web site encourages all who visit and agree with ARTA's goal to submit their name and email address to show DOT and DEC that there is broad support for removing the rails and moving to full recreational use. We promise not to make any use of any email address except to occasionally update supporters on progress and ask them to write others in support of our goals.

So, please visit the web site and hopefully sign up. Also, please forward this email to your respective members and encourage them to do the same. Finally, don't hesitate to get back to me if you have any questions."

Additional article on the topic in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise "Roadblocks to railroad removal’