To the editor:

To Robert Stegeman, Region 5 director, state Department of Environmental Conservation:

To Paul Maroun, mayor, village of Tupper Lake:

You may wish to put the following on the agenda of your “closed door meetings” or “stakeholder meetings.”

When Rail Explorers started its rail bike tours from Lake Clear to Tupper Lake and Tupper Lake to Lake Clear this year, it was restricted by either the Adirondack Park Agency or DEC or a combination of the same to 15 riders per trip. This, I assume, was because the railroad corridor passes beside 5.84 miles of canoe area classification within a 5.88-mile stretch. These 15 rail bike riders would typically pass through this area in about one-half to three-quarters of an hour. It is not clear whether this restriction was related to the number of pedaled vehicles on the tracks during a given period of time or the number of citizens allowed during a given time frame.

I assume that similar restrictions will apply to use of this exact area if it is traversed on a trail rather than on the railroad tracks. Consideration could be given to a turnstile device which could limit the number of bike users during a given time period. I am not sure what rule or regulation the rail bike decision was based upon, or how it applies to snowmobiles or other transport devices. This may also be a non-issue if less than 15 trail users a day pass through this section of trail.

Mile markers — Miles

122.12 to 122.1 — 0.04

122.20 to 124.00 — 1.80

123.30 to 123.80 — 0.50

123.90 to 124.00 — 0.10

124.20 to 125.80 — 1.60

125.90 to 126.50 — 0.60

126.80 to 128.00 — 1.20

Total — 5.84

If a private enterprise or tour group company uses this state-owned trail to conduct tours, will they pay “trackage” or per-mile usage fees?

Daniel C. Mecklenburg

Vice president, Next Stop Tupper Lake

Original member of Trails & Rails Action Committee

Tupper Lake