DULUTH, Minn. (AP) -- An 85-mile ATV trail will be developed in Aitkin County under an agreement approved by the county and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The proposal from Aitkin and Itasca counties was chosen to satisfy a 2003 requirement from the Legislature to build a continuous 70-mile trail somewhere in the state. St. Louis County and Roseau and Lake of the Woods counties also submitted proposals.
``We thought long and hard before we put this proposal together,' Aitkin County land commissioner Mark Jacobs said. ``One of the thoughts is that if you have a designated system that is environmentally sound, you can move (ATVs) away from the unregulated lands.'
``It met the criteria and they were ready to get started,' said Ron Potter, coordinator of the DNR's off-highway program. ``Once its built, were hoping that some of the local (ATV) clubs will take it over as a grant-in-aid trail and maintain it.'
Preliminary plans show the trail connecting with existing Aitkin-Itasca county trails to create a system nearly 500 miles long. Construction is expected to start in 2008.
