Issues of balancing active recreational programming and conservation can be clearly exemplified in Tunkhannock Township, which is home to two seemingly opposing attractions: Long Pond, one of America's prime areas of biodiversity, and Pocono Raceway, the Mid-Atlantic's only NASCAR racing site.
Based on a prior study of future development of the raceway property, several planning and design options were considered that fulfill the Raceway's development desires while mitigating some major traffic issues and creating an ecological conservation plan for the Long Pond natural area [41].
The recommended proposal begins with a new interchange on I-80 and a new connecting road that would bring event patrons directly into the Raceway property. The interchange, which would only be open for major racing weekends and other specific events, would relieve the overwhelming traffic congestion on Route 115 on these occasions. The connecting road would be a causeway bridge, built over the wetlands, in order to minimize negative environmental impacts to the sensitive northern edge of Long Pond.
Diagram of Pocono Raceway.
The raceway is treated as an island. Visually it would be framed with clearly demarcated borders and be physically isolated by means of a moat and perimeter berm. In addition to an expanded raceway, the design proposes a varied program including a hotel, an indoor sports coliseum, and convention facilities. Increased on-site waste water management and sewage treatment would be needed to fully realize this development to protect Long Pond by minimizing the addition of organic nutrients by septic discharge to its ecosystem. It is important to avoid a change in water quality, plant life, and thereby disruption of ecosystem functions.
