HERMANSVILLE -- The Escanaba to Hermansville rail-trail is 25½ miles of potential.  The former railroad grade was first acquired in 2007, and residents are hoping that it can be put to good use soon.

The DNR presented four options during last night's public meeting.

"I'm for proposal four," said local Dan Phalen.  "That's because of the fact that we don't have any present recreational property for hiking."

Should the Hermanaba trail be multi-use motorized, or non-motorized?  Non-motorized options three and four would create designated hiking and biking trails.  But many preferred the continuous multiple use option of proposals one and two, which would allow for snowmobile and ORV use.

Owners of the Wildwood restaurant and Mobil Gas station said that if proposal one goes through, the snowmobilers who came in from the snowmobile trail would help increase business by up to 50 percent during the slow winter months.

"Well, it would allow a safe alternative," said Wildwood restaurant owner, Kevin Bellefeuil.  "They could come down the side of the trail by the power line."

Officials say that a multi-use trail would have greater opportunities for funding.

"My only goal here is to try to look at everything that's been said," said DNR official, Ron Yesney.  "Then we would try to develop the best decision that we can."    

DNR officials are planning to come to a management decision by the end of summer.