SUMMIT, Wis. — If you drive out to western Waukesha County, you could soon be sharing the road with all-terrain vehicles. A new ordinance passed in the Village of Summit allows all terrain and utility terrain vehicles on the roads.
Matt Thompson and the Okauchee Area ATV/UTV Club were behind the push for ATVs and UTVs on public streets. Right now, Thompson, the club president, can only legally ride in his backyard because he lives in Oconomowoc. But he is excited to start riding in the Village of Summit.
"It is a tremendous family recreational activity,” said Thompson. "Similar to the reasons people would want to ride a motorcycle it is just a little bit different flavor of life."
He said it was so important to have this new ordinance in place that the club agreed to fully refund the village for the cost of adding new street signs for the vehicles.
Waukesha County for example has the most registered UTV vehicles in the state and we have very few places to use them without trailering to other parts of the state,” said Thompson.
While reporter Rebecca Klopf was in the area asking people's opinions on the new ATV ordinance, she spoke to two people who had first-hand experience with ATV and UTVs on the roads. Leslie Hanseter is from Seymore, Wisconsin, and Dawn Warren is from Missouri. Both live where ATVs and UTVs are legally allowed on the roads.
“Does it bother you as a driver?” asked Klopf.
"No, I haven't experienced it a whole lot,” said Hanseter.
"Some of them have no regard as at all. They just in and out, take off, go anywhere. They just aren't as safe as people are in vehicles,” said Warren.
Thompson said the Okauchee Area ATV/UTV Club is already talking to the Village of Dousman about a similar measure. And he hopes to eventually see an ordinance pass in his town as well.
A reminder that you cannot legally ride on the Village of Summit roads until ATV and UTV signs are in place and that is still in the works.
TMJ4 News wants to keep the conversation going about ATV and UTV usage on streets. Email our Waukesha County reporter on what you think at rebecac.klopf@tmj4.com.
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