OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Winnebago County is debating whether to allow All-Terrain Vehicles on county roads.
The Board of Supervisors talked about a new law Tuesday night but wants to see some changes first.
County Road CB outside of Neenah is one of many roads ATVs and UTVs could be allowed on.
But Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz tells FOX 11 the same road has seen a lot of crashes. An Oshkosh woman was hit and killed there a few years ago.
“It’s been problematic with serious car crashes, so now by mixing the ATV/UTV traffic, it just makes it more dangerous.”
Fast-moving traffic isn’t the only concern.
Even though you can be arrested or fined for driving under the influence, Matz says it may also be a way of dodging some drunk driving penalties.
“It doesn’t impact your driver license, and you don’t have to have a driver license to operate an ATV or UTV, so it can be a way to go around, circumventing the OWI laws that we have in the state.”
A proposed ordinance would’ve allowed ATVs and UTVs on dozens of county roads from May 1st to October 31st, but some supporters, like Tom Yancy of Fox River Wheelers, say six months isn’t long enough.
“I would like to ask the board to consider amending the proposed ordinance to allow year-round use.”
Steve Wallgard of the town of Wolf River owns a farm, and using his ATV on county roads would make his work a little easier.
“I keep a lot of fish, pallets, and whatnot, in dry storage at my home. I need to travel and haul that down on a weekly basis to feed.”
And for many on the Winnebago County Board, several county roads aren’t suitable for those types of vehicles.
“As you approach those urbanized areas with our urbanized roadways, higher traffic volumes, higher ADTs…the roadways are just not suited for that type of activity,” commissioner of the Winnebago County Highway Department Ray Palonen said.
Winnebago County’s Highway Committee says access to roads will make it easier to connect to trails.
Yancy tells FOX 11 it will also make it more convenient for users.
“As long as they’re allowed, or the speed limit is under 45 miles per hour to get to snow plowing locations, that would allow people to use the county highways to access the places that they would like to plow.”
But they’ll still have rules they’ll need to follow.
Riders would have to drive the speed limit, ride single file and slow down to 10 mph when coming within 150 feet of a home.
Winnebago County’s board was also concerned the ordinance didn’t address age limits. State law allows anyone who is at least 12 to drive an ATVs, as long as they have the proper permit.
For now, the ordinance is headed back to committee for amendments.
