A bill before the Kentucky general assembly includes the possibility of better county-to-county coordination of recreational trail development. The Kentucky House passed the bill Monday. It calls for the creation of the Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreation Authority to develop, police, maintain, and market ATV, horseback riding, cycling, and hiking trails.
We Make Things Happen or WMTH President Debby Spencer said southwestern Virginia has seen 16 million dollars in private investment in such an initiative.
“They started with no trails," Spencer said. "We already have nearly 600 miles of existing trails in individual counties that we could immediately start marketing and promoting under the authority. We couldn’t do it before because we were competing against each other.”
Spencer says some 20 county judges have signed onto the trail authority legislation. She says Virginia communities saw development of lodges, restaurants, and wineries through this authority program.
