Impact of all terrain vehicle access on the demand for a proposed trail

Abstract

The growing popularity of using all terrain vehicles (ATVs) for leisure has become an important issue for both existing and planned trails. A contingent trip survey was used to examine the impact of different ATV access levels on trip demand for a proposed trail in the province of Nova Scotia (Canada). Relative to a prohibition on ATVs, permitting their use reduced non-ATV users' expected trips by 48% and their consumer surplus by 41%. Depending on ATV access level and travel cost, total consumer surplus ranges from approximately $1million (M) Canadian dollars ($C) to $C4M and between C$9.19 and C$26.89 per trip. Trip demand is also weakly related to trail surface, particularly for potential commuters. We suggest that the trail be implemented as a paved pathway in the central core where the population is most dense and that ATV use be prohibited on this portion. A gravel-based shared-use path with controlled ATV use is recommended for the eastern end of the trail where the population is of much less density and where non-ATV use will likely be low.

Keywords:

• trail demand
• ATV access
• consumer surplus

Notes

This is all subject to the decisions of the owner of the rail line, a private company. When this survey was administered, the railway company had indicated an openness to allowing a pedestrian and bicycle trail to be built in the right-of-way that they own. These discussions did not include ATV access. Allowing motorized vehicles, with the greater potential for fatal accidents, may have legal implications for the railway company. As such, the final form of any trail built through this corridor may have more to do with the owner of the property than any other factor.