Snowmobiles in Colfax will no longer be able to park in the alley behind the Blind Tiger
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax Village Board has approved a resolution for snowmobile routes that eliminates the ability to use the alley east of Synergy Cooperative to park behind the Blind Tiger.
There were some conflicts with the routes in Colfax last year, said Mike Buchner, president of the Colfax SnoDrifters, at the Colfax Village Board’s October 9 meeting.
Snowmobile riders coming into Colfax are supposed to park in the Synergy parking lot and then walk to the businesses on Main Street, such as A Little Slice of Italy and the Blind Tiger.
Snowmobilers going to the Blind Tiger were apparently not comfortable with leaving their sleds at the Synergy parking lot while going to the Blind Tiger, Buchner said.
Instead, the snowmobiles were driving down the alley just east of Synergy and then parking behind the Blind Tiger, he said.
The problem is that the alley would then become crowded with snowmobiles, Buchner said.
“If they can go down the alley, they can park at the Blind Tiger. Then it gets congested,” he said, adding that people coming from out of town might not know they are supposed to park in the Synergy parking lot and walk to their destination.
The other problem area is on Railroad Avenue, and the plan is to get away from driving behind the Cenex LP tanks. Instead, the route will go into Higbie’s field (the former Jim and Mary Schindler farm) on the south side of the railroad tracks and then come out on Jim Schindler’s old driveway and continue as before east on Railroad Avenue, Buchner said.
The plan will work until Higbie decides to plant alfalfa in the field, he noted.
Snowmobiles can park at the Outhouse Bar parking lot if they take Legion Drive, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
Mom’s Restaurant and Pub approached the snowmobile club about getting to Mom’s and parking in that parking lot, Buchner said.
The route would have to go by the bowling alley and then cross state Highway 40 to reach Mom’s, he said.
“I don’t want to exclude anyone from getting business,” Buchner said.
The all-terrain vehicle route goes that way now, Niggemann said.
State law does not allow municipalities to regulate ATV/UTV traffic where the speed limit is above 35 mph, so the ATV/UTV route goes east on Fifth Avenue from Highway 40, just before the spot where the speed limit increases to 45, then south on Park Drive and back out to cross Highway 40 to get to Kyle’s Market.
The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved the snowmobile route resolution.
Voting in favor were Jeff Prince, village president, and village trustees Clint Best, Margaret Burcham, Carey Davis and Gary Stene.
Village trustee Anne Jenson was absent from the meeting.
Here are the approved snowmobile routes in Colfax:
• East side of Dunn Street to Railroad Avenue, east to County Road M, north to Highway 40.
• East side of Dunn Street to Railroad Avenue, east toward the east driveway of the Colfax Fairgrounds, to the footbridge, cross Highway 40 to Johnson-Olson Road, west on High Street to Colfax High School.
• East side of Dunn Street to Railroad Avenue, west of Synergy Cooperative.
• Synergy Cooperative parking lot to Express Mart via the alley east of Synergy.
• Synergy Cooperative parking lot to the Outhouse Bar via Legion Drive and the alley between Highway 40 and Cedar Street.
• Synergy Cooperative parking lot is designated parking if you plan to visit any businesses on Highway 40.