ATV/UTV owners meet with county supervisors

ATV and UTV owners in Winneshiek County are getting some reassurances from county officials that work is continuing on developing an ordinance which would allow ATV/UTV traffic on some county roads.

ATV/UTV proponents Adam Thornton and Jeremy Bjerke met with county supervisors Monday morning.  County Board Chairman John Logsdon told the group "I'd like to get (the vote on an ordinance) to a conclusion as soon as the process is done."  County Engineer Lee Bjerke said his department could complete a required traffic safety study by next Tuesday.

Logsdon said any ordinance would have a few roads excluded from the ATV/UTV system because of either high traffic counts or other safety concerns, such as heavy truck traffic.  He also suggested the ordinance might require the use of alert flags on the vehicles, so they could be spotted more easily.

Thornton and Bjerke say they continue to get phone calls and text messages from ATV/UTV users who are enthusiastic about being able to ride on gravel roads in Winneshiek County.