|
|
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
By Michael Nichols
Categories: Wendy M. Schiller-Nichols
Under new legislation, Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) may be allowed on street shoulders. House Bill 4925 permits all counties in the State of Michigan to allow ORVs on the side of local roads and streets, but not State primary roads such as Interstates. The County Road Commissions can elect to close specific roads to ORVs for public safety or to protect the environment; however, they cannot close more than 30% of the roads. This means that you can expect to see more ORVs share 70% of the roads you drive your vehicle on.
Ed Noyola, the Deputy Director for the County Road Association of Michigan, opposes the bill. His concern that ORV traffic would create damage to road shoulders, ditches and personal property. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) also is concerned that local governments have the authority to permit ORV travel on the sides of roads. Kelly Barlett, MDOT’s Director of Governmental Affairs, said, “[t]There is a breach between the governmental unit that is responsible for this road network and this decision-making process. We think that’s problematic.” MDOT would like to see Road Commissions have more say in the process.
Earlier this year, Gov. Rick Snyder recommended increasing the ORV License Fee from $16.25 per year to $35.00 starting in fiscal 2013. For the following year, he recommended increasing it to $45.00. The last time Michigan had an ORV License Fee increase was in 1996, wherein it went from $10.00 to $16.25.
Bill Gilbert, Founder and Director of M.O.R.A (Michigan Off-Road Safety Association), agrees a fee increase is needed but he wants more accountability for the use of those funds. The State’s ORV trail program has been dipping into reserve funds as expenses have exceeded revenues. The trail improvement reserve fund is expected to drop to zero by the end of this fiscal year in September.
If you have been injured in an ORV accident, contact Attorney Wendy Schiller-Nichols.