ATV Route Study
Project Overview:
The City of Duluth is embarking on an ATV study to analyze potential routes to connect existing ATV trail systems in Carlton County with those in Southern St. Louis County and the rest of the Arrowhead region. Duluth does not currently allow ATV use within the city limits.
ATV-owning residents of far western Duluth and the surrounding area, represented today by the Duluth-based nonprofit Head of the Lakes ATV Club, have long advocated for the City to designate select routes for ATV use within Duluth. An ATV route study is needed to determine appropriate locations for trailheads and routes to connect far western Duluth to the outlying Minnesota regional ATV trail system while identifying and mitigating conflicts between different trail user groups and protecting the most valuable and vulnerable natural resources from potential damage.
Project Update:
A Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking consulting firms to conduct the study was issued in May with proposals due June 3. We hope to have a firm selected by the end of June and get the process started later this summer. We expect the study to take nearly a year to complete, as the consultants will need to perform route feasibility analysis and conduct background studies such as wetland delineation, soils investigations, surveying and environmental review.
Funding Source:
The City of Duluth was awarded a grant of $200,000 from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ATV Dedicated Account to complete this ATV Route Study with no local matching requirements.
