The American Tobacco Trail is not supposed to handle vehicular traffic, but Mary Barone says some teenagers appear to have found a new use for the nature trail.

According to Barone, teenagers are driving along a quarter-mile unpaved section of the trail to reach a favorite partying spot. On Tuesday, a handful of beer and energy drink cans were scattered in the area where drivers have been accessing the trail.

"The last week of school was a nightmare," said Barone, who lives in an unincorporated area along the Wake-Chatham County line. "Kids were coming from all over."

Barone has been trying to lodge a complaint with the proper authorities, but she's unclear who that might be.

"It's like the Bermuda Triangle," said Barone, who has an Apex address but is a Chatham County resident. "The biggest problem is nobody will take responsibility."

The cars are accessing the tobacco trail from a parallel gravel road off New Hope Church Road that leads to a new Cary pump station. Doug McRainey, Cary's parks planning manager, said the pump station is within 45 acres of undeveloped parkland that straddles the tobacco trail.

Barone thinks the easiest way to keep cars off the Tobacco Trail would be to put a gate at the entrance to the road leading to the pump station.

Cary has not set a schedule for developing the parkland, but McRainey said his department recently received a similar complaint about teens accessing the land.

"Our intention is to review the situation shortly and decide on the best course of action," McRainey said. "If a gate or series of gates is the best solution we will definitely consider it."

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