Interest in electric recreational trails continues to grow in the U.P.
The latest effort comes from the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development and Innovate Marquette SmartZone. The
Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission and
Innovate Marquette have issued a request for proposals for a consultant project leader to conduct an electrified trails feasibility study in the Central Upper Peninsula.
This study, conducted by a student team with guidance from consultant leaders, will contribute to ORIAN’s creation of an Outdoor Recreation Industry Growth Strategy to help make informed decisions and recommendations for improving the outdoor recreation industry in the Upper Peninsula.
ORIAN, an acronym for the Outdoor Recreation Innovation Action Network, is a public-private outdoor recreation industry collaborative established by the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development and Innovate Marquette. The creation of the collaborative was part of a larger effort to develop a region-wide outdoor recreation industry master plan and fund a study to determine how the region can facilitate future demand for electrical power sports vehicles.
“Electrified trails represent an innovative approach to enhancing the Upper Peninsula’s outdoor recreation infrastructure,” said Joe Thiel, CEO of Innovate Marquette and ORIAN board chairman. “This feasibility study is a pivotal step towards intentionally integrating sustainable technology with our natural landscapes and fostering growth and innovation for the outdoor recreation industry."
An electrified trail has been created in the western U.P. Polaris, Inc., a global leader in powersports, has installed four electric charging stations for electric off-road vehicles along a network of state-designated ORV trails in the woods of Ontonagon County. The ground-breaking project is believed to be the first of its kind electric off-road vehicle charging network in the country. The four chargers service about 125 miles of trails in Ontonagon County, passing through the Ottawa National Forest, commercial forest crop lands, and seasonal county roads
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What’s happening: The first steps in growing the Central Upper Peninsula’s recreational trail network are happening, thanks to a new plan between the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development and Innovate Marquette SmartZone. A formal request is being sought for a proposal to study the area’s potential for electrified trails, which could further outdoor recreation business growth and technological development. The study is hoping to highlight unique challenges to upgrading charging areas along trail networks, ranging from Wi-Fi connectivity, trailhead installations and smart lighting. ORIAN will oversee the project.
CUPPAD Regional Commission and Innovate Marquette are seeking proposals from higher education partners or economic or planning consulting firms capable of organizing and engaging a team of students to develop the study.
The team conducting the study will assess trail segments against various factors and provide recommendations for the development of a pilot trail segment. Factors to investigate include electric vehicle charging stations along trail segments, Wi-Fi connectivity, and smart lighting.
New opportunities: As the outdoor recreation sector continues to grow as a key regional industry, the emergence of electrified vehicles presents new opportunities for the Upper Peninsula. The electrified trails feasibility study will help identify and overcome the challenges of developing electrified mobility trails, ensuring sustainable growth and innovation in outdoor recreation.
Challenges: With the continued investment into electric vehicles — including outdoor recreational vehicles — having enough infrastructure to charge not just on roads, but on trails as well, will be a sizable task. While chargers in bigger cities have been successful thanks to private and public investment, rural areas and those areas known for high seasonal tourism have had to rely almost entirely on private investment. After an unusually slow winter tourism season in the U.P., most private businesses have focused on payroll to keep employees instead of making infrastructure upgrades. On the public side, numerous municipalities in the region have faced installation delays and faulty equipment trying to provide chargers for cars and trucks. With this study, CUPPAD, Innovate Marquette and ORIAN can identify how to develop the infrastructure to raise the bar for all electric vehicles moving forward.
What they're saying: “This project is paving the way for innovative outdoor experiences, while also providing practical research opportunities for students in our region,” said Ryan Soucy, senior economic development and community planner for CUPPAD. “We are eager to see the recommendations that come out of this study.”
What's next: Request for proposals will continue until August 30 at 5 p.m. Criteria includes ability to meet project expectations, consultant’s capacity to manage the student labor used in the project, familiarity with the Central Upper Peninsula and expertise in outdoor recreation and electrified mobility. Proposals can be sent to Soucy at rsoucy@cuppad.org, as only digital submissions will be accepted.
A report on the study including methodology, feasibility analysis, segment ranking, and recommendations for top projects for the region to consider is expected to be presented alongside the Outdoor Recreation Industry Innovation Growth Strategy at the U.P. Outdoor Recreation Summit in May 2025.
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