MENOMONIE — Riders of all terrain and utility terrain vehicles in Dunn County now have hundreds of miles of additional roads to ride after the County Board decided to allow ATV and UTV vehicles on the majority of county highways.
Dustin Binder, county highway commissioner, said the County Board approval of an amended vehicles and traffic ordinance means riders can now use some 400 miles of county highways with their ATVs and UTVs. Just a small portion of county highways were open to ATVs and UTVs previously.
“I was supportive of it,” Binder said of the request from the Dunn County ATV/UTV Association to allow the vehicles on county highways. “Year after year we have been getting more and more requests to allow the vehicles on county highways. It just makes sense to open up all county roadways.”
County Highway B from state Highway 12/29 to state Highway 40 is closed to ATV/UTV traffic, however.
The County Board approved the new ordinance in May, and all county highways opened to ATV/UTV traffic recently after county employees put up 60 signs designating the highways as legal for that activity.
The ordinance says that vehicles have to use the far righthand side of the roadway. The ATVs and UTVs also have to be equipped with lights and turn signals if they are used at night; hand signals for turns are permissible during the day.
Riders have to be aware of local rules for town roads, Binder said, as not all Dunn County towns allow travel on their roads. State highways are closed to ATV and UTV traffic.
Binder added that the ordinance will be reviewed in three years to see if any changes are needed.
