My Views on ATVs Might Surprise You

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EDITORIAL - by Steve Frank - Thursday, August 27, 2009 - I spent some time today thinking about how I actually feel about ATVs. Below are my opinions and beliefs.

1. I can understand the attraction of riding 50 plus miles through a forest on an ATV.

2. I can understand the attraction of speed, trails, hills, etc.; especially to the young. My friends and I drove fast, raced, and explored “alternative” roadways. We also received a number of tickets.

3. I believe very few people travel TO Ironwood to ride an ATV. Hurley is a destination due to its history, reputation, and nightlife.

4. I believe a substantial number of people travel THROUGH Ironwood on an ATV. They do this to reach Hurley and the Wisconsin trail system and to access the Upper Peninsula trail system.

5. The location of Trail 2 is a result of history and is a poor location for 2009 Ironwood. If we were rebuilding from the ground up we wouldn’t run it through the center of our downtown.

6. We do not have the luxury of redesigning Ironwood and there is no convenient location to which to move Trail 2. And to be fair there used to be trains running in the exact same location.

7. There are several simple and relatively inexpensive additions that could be made to the Depot area including paving and curbing for Trail 2 that would dramatically improve the aesthetics of the area. We could even build on the railroad “theme” only with an ATV “track”.

8. A properly operated ATV passing one’s house is no louder than many cars, trucks, and motorcycles and is certainly less intrusive than one’s neighbor running a lawn mower.

9. A safely operated ATV probably presents no greater danger to others than a safely operated car.

10. Allowing ATVs to be operated on city streets would more than likely be fine provided they were driven safely. All State laws (speed, helmets, passengers, age) would need to be strictly enforced. In fact these same laws must be enforced no matter where the ATVs are. Some ATV drivers will break the law just like some automobile drivers do. They need to be ticketed.

11. I only have liability insurance on my car. If I’m in an accident, even if the other driver is at fault, I have to pay to repair my car. If proper ATV operation was enforced to the same level that proper automobile operation is enforced I can accept this for ATV drivers 16 and older.

12. I’m not sure I can say the same for ATV drivers under 16. State law says that these drivers must be under direct visual supervision of an adult. Someone needs to convince me that this supervision is enough to provide a reasonable chance that the adult can prevent the child from causing an accident.

13. The IPSD does not have the equipment to enforce laws on trails. The Sheriff’s Department does not have the manpower to enforce laws on trails other than Trail 2. It would be much easier to enforce the law if ATVs were operating on the roads.

14. Some communities have ATV parks, many of which are privately run. They all have extensive rules and offer trails, race areas, mud runs, etc. The “caves” would make a pretty crappy ATV park. A figure of 400 to 500 acres is often claimed for this area but how much is really suitable for ATVs? Many areas are extremely steep, densely wooded, or contain bodies of water. While a few ATVs don’t make much noise, a park full of them certainly would. Users of an ATV park shouldn’t have to worry about making too much noise.

15. Because of both location and historical significance the “caves” are not a suitable place for an ATV park.

16. A few ATV trails running through that same area will never attract additional ATV enthusiasts to the area.

17. A real ATV park could draw a significant number of tourists to the Ironwood area. This park would need to be located where it could be both a good neighbor and be designed to be the best ATV park possible.

18. Combining a non-motorized heritage park and an ATV park results in one substandard park that no one is really happy with.

19. Having both a non-motorized heritage park and an ATV park would allow us to target a more diverse group of tourists. Additionally these parks would be of such quality that people would travel here to use them.

20. Concerning snowmobiles: Because of their low profile and our high snow banks I’m uncomfortable allowing them access to all roads. They also seem louder.

Agree? Disagree? Post to the Chronicle. Ask questions. Provide answers. How loud are ATVs and snowmobiles? Does the police department have a decibel meter? Where could an ATV park be built?