Work group maps county trail opportunities; utility corridors and rail rights present both constraints and openings

At a Picture Perry natural-resources meeting, staff and participants discussed county-wide trail mapping and the potential to layer utility corridors and railroad rights to identify long-term off‑road connections.

The facilitator noted Picture Perry hosts a trails map on its website and suggested superimposing utility-corridor layers to reveal loop opportunities. Tom Grappesberger, who participates with Wright Township and Tri County Regional Planning Commission, said reclaiming railroad corridors for recreation typically requires courthouse deed research because "rights to reserve" and deed reservations from the late 1800s can leave reactivation rights or easements unclear.

Participants raised examples where PennDOT or utilities have reused corridors for recreation, and they discussed PPL proposals for a heavier-duty (three‑phase) transmission line across Lambs Gap Road and portions of the valley. Tom said utility easements can sometimes support trails but cautioned that the transmission-line route and landslide-prone slopes around Lambs Gap Road would require safety and engineering study.

Attendees identified specific connection challenges, including a difficult crossing at Route 34 on the Newport–Little Buffalo corridor and the need to coordinate multi‑municipal projects (for example, Bloomfield Borough and Center Township) to strengthen grant proposals. The meeting record shows no formal votes; participants were asked to continue sharing mapping layers and local alignment sketches for staff to compile.